Monday, April 24 2006 13:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Apr 24, 2006) asked Aligarh Muslim University not to implement the decision to reserve 50 per cent quota for students belonging to minority community till the pendancy of the matter.

Admitting a petition challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict quashing minority status of AMU and 50 per cent quota for Muslim students, a Bench headed by Justice K G Balakrishnan directed the University not to implement the decision till the matter is decided.

The Court also said the University will maintain status quo on the character of the University as on the date of the filing of the writ petition before the High Court.

The High Court on January five had struck down the provision of the AMU Amendment Act, 1981 by which the status of the minoirty institution was accorded to AMU.

The court also issued notices to the students who had moved the writ petition before the High Court challenging 50 per cent quota for Muslim students.

The Court referred the matter to the Chief Justice for allocating it to a larger Bench.