Allow entry of girls inside library: Allahabad High Court to AMU

Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday directed Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) authorities to allow entry of girl students inside the Maulana Azad central library.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P K S Baghel passed the order while disposing of a PIL filed by law intern and civil rights activist Deeksha Dwidedi.

The court held that the varsity authorities' decision to restrict entry of girl students into the library was "arbitrary" and "in violation of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution".

The varsity authorities who opposed the entry of girl students inside the library in an affidavit filed before the court today submitted that they would ensure that no gender discrimination is allowed on the premises and safety of female students would be ensured wherever they choose to go.

AMU was at the centre of a controversy over not giving access to women undergraduates to the main library on campus. AMU Vice-Chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah had said that allowing undergraduate girl students would attract "four times more boys" to the library.

The PIL had sought the court's direction on the issue.