Allahabad High Court Upholds Appointment of AMU’s First Woman VC, Rejects Allegations of Bias
The Allahabad High Court has upheld the appointment of Professor Naima Khatoon as Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), dismissing a batch of petitions challenging the legality and fairness of her selection. Court ruled that her appointment by the Visitor—the President of India—was lawful and not vitiated by bias or procedural irregularities.
Prof. Khatoon, who previously served as Principal of the Women's College at AMU, is the first woman to be appointed Vice-Chancellor in the university’s more than 100-year history.
A division bench comprising Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Donadi Ramesh delivered the judgment on May 17, 2025, in three writ petitions, including one filed by Professor Mujahid Beg, who had also contested for the post.
The petitioners alleged that the selection process was manipulated by then Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Gulrez—Prof. Khatoon's husband—who chaired key meetings of the Executive Council and the University Court that shortlisted her name. They argued that his role amounted to a violation of the principles of natural justice and constituted a case of actual bias.
Court, while acknowledging that Prof. Gulrez should ideally have recused himself from presiding over the meetings, held that his participation did not invalidate the process. It noted that both the Executive Council and the University Court are multi-member statutory bodies that made decisions through secret ballots.
Though we are of the opinion that Professor Gulrez Ahmad ought not to have presided and participated in the meeting… considering the nature of appointment process and the limited recommendatory role of Executive Council and University Court… participation of Professor Gulrez Ahmad in such proceedings has not vitiated the selection, the court said.
It added that the final appointment was made by the Visitor, whose discretion under the AMU Act and statutes is “not limited or conditioned” and against whom no allegation of mala fide was raised.
However, court issued a direction to the University to resolve, henceforth, not to allow any spouse or close family member to preside and participate any crucial meeting concerning his/her close relative.
Furthermore, court also rejected allegations of vote manipulation during the selection process. Petitioners had claimed 99 votes were cast in the Executive Council meeting when only 95 were possible. But the original records, reviewed by the court, confirmed that 95 valid votes were indeed cast, and the alleged discrepancy stemmed from unverified newspaper reports.
In a significant observation, the court emphasized the symbolic and constitutional importance of Prof. Khatoon’s appointment: “For well over a century no woman has ever been appointed as Vice-Chancellor. Appointment of a woman… sends a message that the constitutional objective of advancement of the cause of women is being promoted.”
Consequently, court dismissed the three petitions.
Case Title: Prof. (Dr.) Mujahid Beg vs UOI and 4 Others and connected matters
Download judgment here