Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has summoned a response from the Uttar Pradesh government regarding its decision to implement biometric attendance in madrasas while postponing it in other educational institutions.
The court has set the next hearing for December 16, directing the government to justify why madrasas are being singled out for biometric attendance when other schools have been exempted.
The UP government has directed the implementation of a biometric attendance system in madrasas across the state. A madrasa in Varanasi filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court, challenging the government's decision.
The petitioners have raised allegations of discrimination, claiming the government's decision unfairly targets madrasas compared to other educational institutions. They argue that this violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality.
Senior advocates representing the petitioners, including VK Singh, Mohammed Ali Ausaf, and Sankalp Rai, contended that under the Madrasa Board Act of 2004 and Madrasa Riles of 2012, the director or registrar does not have the authority to decide on attendance matters. These decisions, they argued, lie solely with the Madrasa Management Committee and the principal.
A government order by the Minority Welfare Department on April 25, 2024, asked to implement biometric attendance for madrasa teachers and students. This was followed by district-level instructions in May and June. However, in July, the Chief Secretary announced a postponement of the order and the formation of a committee to provide recommendations. Despite this, the Minority Welfare Department continued the process, disregarding the Chief Secretary's directive.
Diwan Saheb Zaman Khan, General Secretary of the Madaris Arabia Teachers' Association, expressed displeasure, stating that his association had submitted a memorandum referencing the Chief Secretary's stay order, but no action had been taken.
