Allahabad High Court Orders Status Quo on Disputed Methodist Church-School Land in Sitapur
In an urgent Sunday hearing, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court granted interim protection to a 150-year-old Methodist educational institution in Sitapur by directing all parties to maintain status quo over a disputed parcel of land. The Court also restrained the Uttar Pradesh government from altering the nature of the portion of land already in its possession until the next hearing, providing immediate relief to the school management, which had alleged an imminent threat of demolition.
The petition was filed by Methodist Mission Girls Junior High School, Civil Lines, Sitapur, which claimed that the 3.562-hectare property was purchased by its predecessors in 1862 and has housed an educational institution and church for nearly 150 years. The petitioners contended that the land had been wrongly classified as Nazul (government) land in official records, exposing it to recovery and demolition proceedings by the authorities.
Appearing for the State, government counsel argued that the authorities had not disturbed the portion of land where the school and church are presently functioning. The State maintained that only other parts of the disputed property had been reclaimed pursuant to a District Magistrate’s order dated June 24, 2026, and informed the Court that possession of certain portions had already been taken by the Nagar Palika Parishad during earlier proceedings.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai noted that a civil suit concerning part of the disputed property has been pending since 2017. Although this fact was not disclosed in the writ petition, the petitioners explained that the omission occurred because the matter was filed in great urgency owing to the perceived demolition threat. Taking into account the circumstances, the Bench directed that the parties maintain status quo and that the State should not change the nature of the land already in its possession until further orders.
The High Court further directed the office of the Chief Standing Counsel to communicate the interim order immediately to the concerned authorities without waiting for a certified copy, underscoring the urgency of the matter. The case has been listed for further hearing on July 20, 2026, when the Court is expected to examine the rival claims regarding ownership, land records and the legality of the State’s actions.
The dispute has attracted considerable attention because it involves a historic educational institution and raises broader questions regarding the classification of Nazul land, protection of long-standing educational and religious establishments, and the scope of judicial intervention in preventing irreversible action while title and possession disputes remain pending. The interim order ensures that no further changes will be made to the disputed property until the High Court considers the matter in greater detail.
