Students Move Allahabad HC Against Civic Body's Takeover Of Land Allegedly Owned By Aligarh Muslim University

A total of 23 students have filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea, terming the civic body's action as 'encroachment/trespass'. They allege that officials are attempting to illegally grab university land without following any procedure or authority established by law.

The PIL, moved through advocates Ali Bin Saif and Zeeshan Khan, submits that the university has been in continuous, peaceful, and unhindered possession of the property in question for the past 80–90 years.

The PIL plea adds that the property in question is under the continuous use of the Muslim University Riding Club (MURC), a club established by AMU, for riding activities of its members, and that a series of events have been organised on the said property.

Against this backdrop, the PIL plea seeks a direction to the Municipal Commissioner to not interfere with the peaceful possession of AMU Riding Club land and to remove the erected board placed by it on the said land.

As per a report by The Indian Express, AMC carried out the acquisition in coordination with the district administration on April 30, and it has also put up a board at the site claiming ownership of the land.

The action was purportedly taken after the AMU failed to produce documents to substantiate its claim over the property. On the other hand, it is the case of the university that land belongs to it.