Bihar State Madarsa Education Board, Patna
v.
Madarsa Hanfia Arabic College Jamalia And Others
(Supreme Court Of India)
Civil Appeal Nos. 463-64 of 1986 | 05-12-1989
K. N. SINGH, J.
1. These two appeals are directed against the judgment and order of High Court of Patna dated November 6, 1989, quashing the order of the Bihar State Madarsa Education Board dissolving the Managing Committee of the respondent's institution.
2. The State legislature of Bihar enacted the Bihar State Madarsa Education Board Act (Act 32 of 1982) providing for the constitution of an autonomous Board for development and supervision of Madarsa Education in the Bihar. "Madarsa" as defined by Section 2 means an educational institution providing instructions in Islamic, Arabic and Persian studies and recognised as such by the Board. The 'Board' means the Board established under Section 3 of the. Section 3 provides for the constitution of State Madarsa education Board which is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal. The Board consists of a Chairman appointed by the State Government, Director of Education (In charge of Oriental Education), Director, Institution of Post-graduate Studies and Research in Arabic and Persian, Patna, the Principal, Madarsa Islamia, Shamsul Hoda Patna, Chairman, Bihar, Sunni Wakf Board, Patna, Chairman, Bihar Shia Wakf Board, Patna, two members of the State legislature nominated by the State government having interest in Madarsa Education or Islamic studies, two senior teachers of recognised Madarsa nominated by the State Government, and three other members nominated by the State Government who have interest in Madarsa Education or Islamic studies. The Board is invested with powers and functions to provide for instruction and research in Arabic, Persian and Islamic studies and to advise the State Government on all matters relating to Madarsa Education. The Act empowers the Board to direct, supervise and control Madarsa Education to grant recognition to Madarsas in accordance with the regulations framed by it, to conduct different Madarsa examination, to publish results, to make regulations prescribing conditions of employees of the Board, to provide for the constitution of the Managing Committee, to constitute academic committee, recognition committee, examination committee, and for carrying on its powers and functions in regulating the education in Madarsa institutions. The Board is headed by a Chairman nominated by the state government under Section 10(2) of the Act, it lays down that no person shall be eligible for appointment as Chairman unless he holds adequate administrative experience under the Central or State Government and he has teaching or research experience before not less than 10 years in post-graduate educational institutions or he is regarded scholar in Arabic, Persian, Islamic studies and he is interested in Madarsa Education. The Board as constituted by the is an autonomous body entrusted with the duty to grant recognition, aid, supervise and control the academic efficiency in the Madarsa Institutions, aided and recognised by it. The members of the Board consist of those persons who are connected with or interested in the teaching and research of Arabic, persian and Islamic studies, and interested in the Madarsa Education. The legislature has enacted the with the primary purpose of providing an autonomous educational authority for regulating the efficiency of Madarsa institutions where studies are carried on in Arabic, Persian and Islamic studies.
3. The Hanfia Arabic College Jamalia and Madarsa Shamsul Uloom the respondent's institutions are Madarsa institutions aided and recognised by the Board under the provisions of the, as such the respondent's institutions are subject to the provisions of the and the regulations framed by the Board in matter relating to their management and administration. The committees of management of the two respondent institution failed to comply with the directions issued by the Board with regard to payment of salary to teachers, whereupon the Board in exercise of its power under Section 7(2)(n) of thedissolved the Managing Committee of the respondent's institutions and appointed Ad Hoc Committee to manage the institutions. The outgoing Managing Committee of the respondent's institutions and some of the affected members of the Committee filed writ petitions before the High Court of Patna under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging the order of the Board, dissolving the Committee of Management and appointing Ad Hoc Committee. Before the High Court, the respondents submitted that section 7(2)(n) of thewhich confers power on the Board to dissolve Managing Committee of a Madarsa is violative of Article 30(1) of the Constitution as it interfered with their right of management of institutions. The High Court upheld the respondent's plea and declared Section 7(2)(n) unconstitutional as it confers power on the Board to dissolve Committee of Management of Madarsa. The Board has preferred this appeal by leave against the aforesaid judgment of the High Court.
4. Section 7(2)(n) reads thus:
"7. Power and functions of the Board - (1) It shall be the duty of the Board to provide for instruction and research in Arabic, Persian and Islamic studies and such other branches of knowledge including vocational courses and training which the Board thinks fit and to advise the State Government on all other matters relating to Madarsa Education(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder the Board shall have the power to direct, supervise and control Madarsa Education and in particular have the powers
(n) To get the Managing Committee of Madarsas constituted in a manner such as to include the Head Maulvi two guardian's representatives and one member nominated by the Board and two other persons interested in Madarsa Education or Islamic studies to be composed by the above seven members. The power to dissolve the Managing Committee shall vest in the Board."
5. The above provision confers power on the Board to provide for constitution and dissolution of Managing Committee of a Madarsa. There is no dispute that the respondent Madarsas are educational institutions established by the Muslim minority community. Article 30(1) of the Constitution protects the right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. The article in terms grants all minorities two rights (i) the right to establish and (ii) the right to administer educational institution of their choice. The rights so granted are, however, are absolute; a minority institution obtaining financial aid and recognition is subject to reasonable restrictions to ensure excellence in the institution. While minorities have a constitutional right to establish and to administer educational institutions, of their choice, they have no absolute right to maladminister, the State has right to impose regulations made in the interest of efficiency of institution's discipline, health, sanitation and public order even though such regulations may indirectly impinge on the exclusive right of administration and management of the institution. A minority institution seeking aid and recognition must be subject to regulatory provisions which are reasonable and consistent with Article 30(1) of the Constitution. A minority institution which does not seek aid or recognition from the State or the education Board need not be subject to regulatory provisions. The principles have been settled by this Court in In Re the Kerala Education Bill 1957 (1959 SCR 995 : AIR 1958 SC 956 [LQ/SC/1958/83] ), Sidharajbhai Sabhai v. State of Bombay ((1963) 3 SCR 837 [LQ/SC/1962/290] : AIR 1963 SC 540 [LQ/SC/1962/290] ), State of Kerala v. Very Rev. Mother Provincial ((1970) 2 SCC 417 [LQ/SC/1970/288] : (1971) 1 SCR 734 [LQ/SC/1970/288] : AIR 1970 SC 2079 [LQ/SC/1970/288] ), Ahmedabad St. Xaviers College Society v. State of Gujarat ((1974) 1 SCC 717 [LQ/SC/1974/170] : (1975) 1 SCR 173 [LQ/SC/1974/170] ), Lilly Kurian v. Sr. Lewina ((1979) 2 SCC 124 [LQ/SC/1978/262 ;] ">((1979) 2 SCC 124 [LQ/SC/1978/262 ;] [LQ/SC/1978/262 ;] : 1979 SCC (L&S) 134 : (1979) 1 SCR 820 [LQ/SC/1978/262 ;] ">(1979) 1 SCR 820 [LQ/SC/1978/262 ;] [LQ/SC/1978/262 ;] ) and All Bihar Christian Schools Assn. v. State of Bihar ((1988) 1 SCC 206 [LQ/SC/1987/795] ).
6. The question which arises for consideration is whether Section 7(2)(n) which confers power on the Board to dissolve the Managing Committee of an aided an recognised Madarsa institution violates the minorities constitutional right to administer its educational institution according to their choice. This Court has all along held that though the minorities have right to establish and administer educational institution of their own choice but they have no right to maladminister and the State has power to regulate management and administration of such institution in the interest of educational need and discipline of the institution. Such regulation may have indirect effect on the absolute right of minorities but that would not violate Article 30(1) of the Constitution as it is the duty of the State to ensure efficiency in educational institutions. The State has, however, no power to completely take over the management of a minority institution. Under the guise of regulating the educational standards to secure efficiency in institution, the State is not entitled to frame rules or regulations compelling the management to surrender its right of administration. In State of Kerala v. Very Rev. Mother Provincial ((1970) 2 SCC 417 [LQ/SC/1970/288] : (1971) 1 SCR 734 [LQ/SC/1970/288] : AIR 1970 SC 2079 [LQ/SC/1970/288] ), Section 63(1) of the Kerala University Act, 1969 which conferred power on the government to take over the management of a minority institution its default in carrying out the directions of the State Government was declared ultra vires on the ground that the provisions interfered with the constitutional right of a minority to administer its institution. Minority institutions cannot be allowed to fall below the standard of excellence on the pretext of their exclusive right of management but at the same time their constitutional right to administer their institution cannot be completely taken away by superseding or dissolving Managing Committee or by appointing in ad hoc committees in place thereof. In the instant case Section 7(2)(n) is clearly violative of constitutional right of minorities under Article 30(1) of the Constitution insofar as it provides for dissolution of Managing Committee of a Madarsa. We agree with the view taken by the High Court.
7. We have upheld the view taken by the High Court with regard to the validity of Section 7(2)(n) of thebut we do not agree with the observations made by the High Court in paragraphs 9 and 10 of its judgment with regard to the constitution of the Board and appointment of its Chairman. The High Court has observed that the majority of the members of the Board and its Chairman may not belong to minority community, therefore the Board's constitution will not be in consonance with the minorities' constitutional right under Article 30 of the Constitution. In our opinion, the view taken by the High Court is not correct. Article 30(1) does not contemplate the an autonomous Educational Board entrusted with the duty of regulating the aided an recognised minorities institution, should be constituted only by persons belonging to minority community. Article 30(1) protects the minorities' right to manage and administer institutions established by them according to their choice, but while seeking aid and recognition for their institutions there is no constitutional obligation that the Board granting aid or recognition or regulating efficiency in minority institution should consist of members exclusively belonging to minority communities. In the instant case the constitution of the Board under Section 3 of theensures that its members are only those who are interested in teaching and research of Persian, Arabic and Islamic studies. This provision fully safeguards the interest of Madarsa of the Muslim community. We therefore hold that observations made by the High Court in paragraphs 8 and 9 of its judgment are contrary to the scope of Article 30(1) of the Constitution.
8. With these observation we agree with the view taken by the High Court in quashing the order of the Board dissolving the Managing Committee of the respondent's institutions and appointing Ad Hoc Committee.
9. The appeals fail and are accordingly dismissed. There will be no order as to costs.
Advocates List
For
For Petitioner
- Shekhar Naphade
- Mahesh Agrawal
- Tarun Dua
For Respondent
- S. Vani
- B. Sunita Rao
- Sushil Kumar Pathak
Bench List
HON'BLE JUSTICE K. N. SINGH
HON'BLE JUSTICE N. M. KASLIWAL
Eq Citation
AIR 1990 SC 695
(1990) 1 SCC 428
1990 (1) BLJR 504
[1989] (SUPPL.) 2 SCR 399
JT 1989 (SUPPL.) SC 368
1990 (1) UJ 470
1989 (2) SCALE 1468
LQ/SC/1989/612
HeadNote
Education Laws Education and Universities — Minority Educational Institutions — Minority institutions seeking aid and recognition — Dissolution of Managing Committee — Bihar State Madarsa Education Board Act, 1982 (32 of 1982) — S. 72-N — Power to dissolve Managing Committee — Held, S. 72-N is clearly violative of constitutional right of minorities under Art. 30(1) of the Constitution insofar as it provides for dissolution of Managing Committee of a Madarsa — But observations made by High Court in paras 9 and 10 of its judgment with regard to constitution of Board and appointment of its Chairman that majority of members of Board and its Chairman may not belong to minority community therefore Board's constitution will not be in consonance with minorities' constitutional right under Art. 30 of the Constitution, held, not correct — Constitution of India, Art. 301