In a significant development, 23 students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Allahabad High Court challenging the Aligarh Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) recent move to take possession of 41 bighas of land situated near the university campus.
The petitioners have termed AMC’s action as an act of “encroachment” and “trespass,” alleging that officials attempted to seize the land without due legal process or valid authority. The PIL, filed through advocates Ali Bin Saif and Zeeshan Khan, emphasizes that the university has held peaceful and uninterrupted possession of the property for nearly 80 to 90 years.
According to the plea, the land in question has been consistently used by the Muslim University Riding Club (MURC), a unit of AMU, for equestrian training and events. The students assert that various activities and programs have regularly taken place on the land under the club’s aegis.
In light of these facts, the petition seeks court directions to restrain the Municipal Commissioner from disturbing AMU’s possession and to remove a board erected by the civic body that claims ownership of the property.
As reported by The Indian Express, the AMC, with support from the district administration, took control of the land on April 30 and installed signage asserting its claim. The civic body reportedly acted following AMU’s inability to produce sufficient documentation proving legal ownership. However, the university maintains that the land rightfully belongs to it.
