On April 3, 2025, the Uttarakhand High Court ordered the unsealing of a madrasa that had been sealed by the state government for allegedly operating “illegally.” The court’s decision was conditional on the madrasa not functioning as a school unless officially recognised by the State government.
This order came after a month-long crackdown by the state, during which over 136 madrasas were sealed for operating without proper affiliation and for failing to meet the standards set by the madrasa board. Furthermore, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami initiated an inquiry into the funding sources of these institutions.
The madrassa owners contested the state’s actions, asserting that their institution was a religious school run by a registered society. They argued that the sealing of their premises lacked legal authority and proper sanction. The court, in turn, questioned the state’s adherence to the required legal procedures when sealing the petitioner’s property.
Advocate General S.N. Babulkar, representing the state, defended the sealing, claiming the madrasa was operating in violation of regulations. However, the petitioners contended that even if the society had overstepped its objectives, the sealing of the property was unjustified without following due process, as reported by The Hindu
In its order dated April 1, the High Court pointed out that the property had been sealed without a show-cause notice or an opportunity for the petitioners to be heard. As an interim measure, the court ruled that the madrasa be unsealed until the next hearing, provided the petitioners agreed not to operate the madrasa or school without the necessary recognition from the State government, in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.
136 illegal Madrasas sealed in Uttarakhand in the last month
The Uttarakhand government has escalated its crackdown on unregistered madrasas, sealing a total of 136 such institutions across the state, with a particular focus on newly established seminaries near the Uttar Pradesh border. In a notable move on Monday, the district administration of Dehradun sealed a madrasa in Sahaspur after discovering it had illegally constructed an additional floor without prior approval.
Recent intelligence reports have flagged a surge in unregistered madrasas in towns along the Uttar Pradesh border, sparking the state’s intensified actions. Of the madrasas sealed, 64 were in Udham Singh Nagar, 44 in Dehradun, 26 in Haridwar, and 2 in Pauri Garhwal. Government records indicate that while Uttarakhand has approximately 500 illegal madrasas, there are only about 450 registered ones.
According to Times of India, many of these unregistered institutions are operating in towns such as Jaspur, Bajpur, Kichha, Kashipur, Rudrapur, Gadarpur, and areas within Haridwar district. As a result, these locations have been prioritised for action. Additionally, district administrations have been tasked with gathering information about the funding and donations received by both registered and unregistered madrasas. Registered institutions are now required to submit detailed documents, including bank account statements and financial records.
As per report, several of these madrasas are failing to meet the standards set by the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Uttarakhand Madrasa Board. In response, the Dhami government has ramped up efforts, instructing district administrations to verify the legitimacy of madrasa operators, track student enrollment, and scrutinise funding sources.
This crackdown comes on the heels of statements from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has vowed to continue taking strict action against illegal madrasas. Dhami stressed that those involved in unlawful activities will not be spared, signaling the government’s unwavering stance on the issue.
Uttarakhand CM Dhami orders probe into alleged funding
Notably, the state government estimates suggest that Uttarakhand is home to roughly 450 registered madrasas, alongside around 500 unregistered ones. In response to the recent sealing of 136 madrasas, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered a thorough investigation into the funding of these institutions. The crackdown, which began in March, specifically targets madrasas that are neither registered with the education department nor the Madrasa Board.
Reports of the Indian Express indicate that many of these unregistered madrasas operate under the Societies Registration Act. Khurshid Ahmed, the state secretary for Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, has called the operation unlawful, arguing that the madrasa administrators were not given proper notices before their institutions were sealed. He also highlighted the timing of the drive, which coincided with Ramadan and the end of exams, leaving children displaced and questioning whether they would be able to adjust to the curricula of other schools once transferred, as reported
Mufti Shamoom Qasmi, the Chairperson of the Madrasa Board, reassured the public that students from the sealed madrasas would be moved to nearby schools and madrasas. He emphasised the importance of upholding the right to education, insisting that the administration must ensure no child’s education is disrupted. On the issue of curriculum alignment, Qasmi noted that the education department would work to address this, similar to how Uttar Pradesh has granted equivalence to the Munshi and Maulvi courses for classes 10 and 12, as reported the Indian Express
While a state-wide inspection of madrasas has been completed, the findings have not yet been made available to the public.
Recognised madrasas in Uttarakhand are governed by state boards for madrasa education, while unregistered madrasas typically follow curricula established by larger institutions like Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama and Darul Uloom Deoband.
Supreme Court agrees to examine petition from Jamiat against sealing of Madrasas
Meanwhile, on April 3, 2025, the Supreme Court agreed to review a plea filed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind concerning the sealing of madrasas in Uttarakhand. The case was heard by a bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal, with Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and Advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi representing the Muslim body, as reported ETV Bharat
The bench acknowledged that there was no issue with the government seeking information on the quality of education, adherence to the Right to Education Act, or the funding of madrasas. However, it suggested that the petitioner could address its concerns with the jurisdictional High Court. Sibal, however, disagreed, referencing an order from October 21, 2024, by a bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, which had stayed actions against government-funded madrasas that were not in compliance with the Right to Education Act.
After hearing the arguments, the bench decided to tag Jamiat’s plea with the main case filed in October last year for further consideration.
In October 2024, the Supreme Court had stayed a recommendation by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which had called for the closure of unregistered madrasas. The Court also put on hold subsequent actions by both the central and state governments. Additionally, it stayed similar directives from the Uttar Pradesh and Tripura governments that mandated the transfer of students from unrecognised madrasas to government-run schools, as reported
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