Allahabad High Court orders status quo on Methodist Church land after 150-year-old school cites demolition threat

The Allahabad High Court on Sunday ordered maintenance of status quo on the land taken over by the State from the Methodist Church in Sitapur district [Methodist Mission Girls Junior High School Civil Lines Sitapur And Another v State of UP]

A Division Bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai passed the order on a plea moved by Methodist Mission Girls Junior High School Civil Lines Sitapur.

“Considering the fact that the State Government has already taken possession of the portion of the disputed land, it is directed that they shall not change the nature of the possessed disputed property and the parties shall maintain status quo over the said land till the next date of listing,” the Court ordered.

The Court heard the matter on a special request on Sunday after the school authorities said that there was an imminent threat of demolition of the educational institution existing over the land for the last 150 years.

It was submitted that the institution has an area of 3.562 hectares situated in Chavani Kadim village but the same was wrongly described as Nazool land in the records of the State government.

The land was purchased by a predecessor in 1862 and subsequently came into the hands of the petitioners who are running an educational institution over it, the Court was told.

However, the State said authorities have not touched the area of the disputed land on which the Church is located or educational activities are being conducted.

It further said that certain demolition activities have already been carried out and possession of the land has been taken by the Nagar Palika Parishad Sitapur on July 10, 2024. Further, it was submitted that a civil suit is already pending in the matter.

Considering the contentions, the Court ordered a status quo and listed the matter for hearing on July 20.

Advocates Rohit Tripathi, Akarsh Asthana and Nida Navi represented the petitioners.

Additional Standing Counsel Nishant Shukla and Advocate Mohit Jauhari appeared for the respondents.

[Read Order]