Allahabad High Court Stays NHRC-Directed EOW Inquiry into 558 Madrasas in Uttar Pradesh

In a major development, the Allahabad High Court on September 22, 2025, stayed the operation of three orders passed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) between February and June 2025, which had directed the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Lucknow to investigate alleged financial irregularities in 558 aided madrasas across Uttar Pradesh.

The Division Bench of Justice Saral Srivastava and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai observed that the matter requires deeper judicial consideration and, until then, no coercive steps should be taken. The Court’s interim order has come as a significant relief to the Teachers Association Madaris Arabia, which had challenged the NHRC directives.

???? Views of Hon’ble Dr. Anthony Raju, Advocate Supreme Court & Chairman, All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and Social Justice (AICHLS):
“The stay granted by the Allahabad High Court is not merely a technical relief—it is a powerful reminder that constitutional safeguards, minority rights, and principles of natural justice cannot be compromised under the garb of inquiry.

Education, particularly through institutions like madrasas, plays a vital role in uplifting marginalized sections and preserving cultural identity. Subjecting such institutions to sweeping probes without clear evidence of wrongdoing risks creating a perception of targeting and discrimination, which is inconsistent with the ideals of equality enshrined under Articles 14, 21, and 30 of the Constitution of India.

While transparency and accountability are indispensable in the management of public funds, every investigation must pass the test of fairness, proportionality, and due process of law. Any deviation can erode public trust in human rights institutions themselves.

This judicial intervention by the Allahabad High Court reaffirms that the rule of law is supreme and that oversight mechanisms must operate within the limits of legality and constitutional morality. It is now incumbent upon all stakeholders—government, commissions, and civil society—to ensure that educational and religious institutions are strengthened, not stigmatized, in the name of scrutiny.”

???? Source: Lawbeat Report