SRINAGAR: A court in Shopian has ordered the reopening of Darul Uloom Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom, which was declared an unlawful entity under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act earlier this year.
Principal and Sessions Judge Shopian Mehmood Ahmad Chowdhary directed that the institution be allowed to reopen and resume educational activities till the case is finally decided.
The order came after the seminary approached the court seeking interim relief against its continued closure.
Advocate S M Iqbal, representing the institution, said around 1,200 students were enrolled at the seminary, including nearly 400 residential students.
“The main case is still underway, but we filed an interim application because the future and education of children were at stake,” Iqbal told reporters.
He said the institution had also brought to the court’s notice that its properties were deteriorating during the closure and that no proper administrative arrangements had been made.
Iqbal said the court found that the material placed by the government, at the present stage of the proceedings, was not sufficient to justify keeping the entire institution shut.
He said the court had also observed that the powers exercised were excessive in relation to the allegations levelled against the institution.
The reopening, however, will be subject to supervision by a three-member committee to be constituted by the government.
The court has further directed that the order be widely publicised through newspapers and other media so that students who had left the institution can return without any hindrance, irrespective of whether they have secured admission elsewhere.
Advocate Bashrat Abdullah, who also represented the seminary, said the government’s action was based on allegations of unlawful activities at the institution.
He said the applicants produced documents and other material before the court to contest the allegations, while the opposing side failed to provide evidence establishing that unlawful activities were being carried out at the seminary.
Abdullah said the committee constituted under the court’s directions would work with the management and applicants to ensure compliance with the conditions laid down in the order.
The seminary was shut following an order issued by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg on April 24.
The administration had acted on the basis of a dossier alleging illegal activities at Darul Uloom Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom in the Imam Sahib area of Shopian.
The April order cited what it described as “credible inputs and evidence on record” indicating alleged sustained and covert links between the institution and Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned by the Centre in 2019.
The government’s decision had drawn criticism from political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, with several leaders demanding withdrawal of the order.
