Aligarh Muslim University, civic body face off over Rs 500-crore land

Speaking to The Indian Express, Avinash said that the civic body claimed legal possession over the land since it was registered as ‘banjar bhumi’ (barren land) in the revenue records since 1992.

“The corporation has the legal authority to use all such barren lands located under municipal jurisdiction,” the DM added.

On the other hand, the AMU authorities claimed to have documents showing the land was owned by the university from pre-Independence till 1992, when the land got recorded as barren in the revenue records, and the varsity did not get it corrected then.

Speaking to The Indian Express over the phone, Aligarh Municipal Commissioner Prem Prakash Meena termed the civic body’s decision to take possession of the land “historic”.

The civic body claimed legal possession over the land since it was registered as ‘banjar bhumi’ (barren land) in the revenue records since 1992. (Express Photo)

“We decided to take possession of approximately 3.863 hectares of land from 10 plot numbers located at Nagla Patwari in village Bhamola Mafi in a joint action with the district administration. We had put up property boards and announced to develop a project in the interest of the public and the city on this land,” said Meena.

According to him, the measurement of the land mentioned in the revenue records was carried out by the Revenue Department on April 7, 2025.

For further action concerning the said land, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Aligarh, had sent a letter to the Municipal Corporation on April 16 last year.

“A total of 3.863 hectares of land was earlier in the possession of Aligarh Muslim University, but there was no construction on it. Keeping in view the utility of the land, the property will be used in future to effectively implement important and public-use projects such as establishment of a police station, schools for children, an intermediate college, a hospital, a sports complex, etc,” the civic body chief added.

AMU Vice-Chancellor Khatoon said they would move the Supreme Court to get possession of the land. “This is a government land, and a university is run by the government. It is not a private property, and even to a private property a notice is served before any such action. This action by the municipal corporation is not not accepted. We will approach the Supreme Court and take the possession back,” the vice-chancellor said.

“The board put up by them (municipal corporation) is wrong. This is unfortunate that a government department has done this,” the V-C added.
According to the AMU, the land is a horse riding field of the university. “The university possesses all relevant documents, archival records and legal evidence relating to the land,” Khatoon claimed.

The university said the land has been in its possession since June 13, 1925, under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. “Subsequently, on November 19, 1940, the Governor of the United Provinces (the erstwhile name of Uttar Pradesh) reserved the land for Aligarh Muslim University. Therefore, the university has been the owner of the land since 1925,” said the vice-chancellor.

The AMU said the municipal corporation was making a misleading claim that the land was freed from encroachment. “The fact is that the land belongs to AMU and the municipal corporation is making an unlawful claim over the University property. Its revenue records were allegedly tampered with in 1992 without any order or approval of a competent authority,” the AMU said in a statement.

The university alleged that the action being taken on the basis of such documents appeared to indicate mala fide intent on the part of the civic body.

After becoming aware of the alleged tampering in 2003, the University claimed it has continuously pursued correction of the land records in the revenue department.

Recently, AMU submitted its claim before the competent authority on March 29, 2025, seeking correction of its revenue records.

The matter is still pending before the SDM. The university said it was particularly concerning that the Municipal Corporation was attempting to take possession of the university land in haste and without any legal basis in the presence of the same SDM, Kol, before whom the matter remains pending,” the vice-chancellor said.

According to the university, a joint report submitted following measurement of the land in January 2022 recorded the land as belonging to the Aligarh Muslim University Riding Field.

“I spoke with the vice-chancellor on Thursday, and today the AMU Proctor and others met me and produced documents claiming the ownership of the university. “The SDM has the adjudicating authority to look into such land matters. A status quo will remain until the SDM decides the claim over the particular land,” added the DM.