Rajasthan Madarsa Act: High Court notice to Centre, state government

JODHPUR: The High Court here issued a notice to the Centre and Rajasthan government, asking them to file a reply within four weeks over a PIL seeking the abolition of the state's Madarsa Board Act, 2020.

The notice has also been issued to central and state education boards as well as the Rajasthan minorities commission.

Terming it against the federal spirit of the country, Mukesh Jain had moved the HC, seeking the abolition of the Act.

In his petition, he said the Act violated the basic spirit of the Indian Constitution, which terms India as a secular republic.

This Act promotes a specific religion and in any secular nation, no government can attempt to promote a single religion, the petition said.

Jain further said it was not a prerogative of the state to introduce such an Act.

Hence, it must be repealed as no other minority religion has been taken care of in this Act, the petitioner said.

Jain said there is a universal education policy in the country and all institutions, including madarsas are included in it.

He termed it unlawful to provide buildings and other resources to madarsas for educational purposes.

Allowing the petition, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Vineet Kumar Mathur issued notices to the Union and state governments, state Madarsa Board, minorities commission, CBSE and the RBSE, seeking reply in four weeks.