On September 4, 2025, the Supreme Court of India refused to hear a petition filed by the Sam Higginbottom Educational and Charitable Society, which sought to safeguard the minority status of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
The petition claimed that certain former employees and outsiders had forcibly placed religious idols in the Dean’s office and conducted religious activities on campus, allegedly pressuring students of other faiths to participate.
The bench, led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, held that the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution. The Court advised the petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court for any relief.
The petition argued that local authorities and police had not taken action despite prior complaints, which, according to them, infringed on the university’s constitutional right under Article 30(1) to maintain its minority character and autonomy.
This follows a previous Supreme Court decision in May 2025, which quashed an FIR and related proceedings against SHUATS Director Vinod Bihari Lal in a case concerning alleged illegal religious conversions, citing misuse of the legal process.