Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on January 27 ordered for status quo to be maintained with regard to the land and functioning of the Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute, which was sealed off by the state government via a memo issued on January 23.
The HC’s order comes at a time when the institute has been struggling in general with regards to funding and maintaining its space. The Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute premises was sealed-off by the Telangana Minorities Welfare Board citing the land being required for the convenience of prayers for Muslims who come to the mosque in the same premises (both are located in the Public Gardens).
Soon after the memo was issued, the committee members then held a a meeting and a writ petition was filed with the Telangana High Court by one Mr Syed Iftekhar Hussaini questioning the action of Minorities Welfare Department sealing the reputed and age-old Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute.
The High Court in its order noted that the premises is not open to public to offer Namaz and directed the government to continue with status quo. Writ petition No.2379 of 2026 was filed by Syed Iftekhar Hussaini, who is a member of the institute, to preserve it.
According to of the institute’s executive committee members, the memo issued by Minorities Welfare Department does not follow the legal procedure. Advocate Sanaullah Farhan, who argued the case on behalf of Hussaini, brought to the notice of the court that the Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute has been operating from its premises in Public Gardens, adjacent to Telangana Legislative Assembly since the year 1959 and the lease was given by the then Endowments Department.
