The Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920

What the Act governs

The Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920, Act No. 40 of 1920, creates Aligarh Muslim University as a corporate body with perpetual succession and a common seal. The Act was brought into force on 1 December 1920 through the notification identified in the text.

The Act provides for:

• The incorporation and powers of Aligarh Muslim University.
• University officers and authorities, including the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Court, Executive Council and Academic Council.
• Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations.
• Examinations, degrees, annual reports, accounts and employee service conditions.
• Student residence, discipline and teaching.

Transfer of property and liabilities

The Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920 dissolved the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, Aligarh, and the Muslim University Association when the Act commenced. It transferred to Aligarh Muslim University all movable and immovable property, rights, powers and privileges belonging to those societies and to the Muslim University Foundation Committee.

Key property consequences include:

• Debts, liabilities and obligations of the predecessor societies and committee became the responsibility of Aligarh Muslim University.
• References in other enactments to those bodies are treated as references to the University.
• Wills, deeds and other documents containing gifts, bequests or trusts for those bodies are read as naming the University instead.
• The former college buildings could continue to use their existing names, subject to orders of the Court.

University property powers

The Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920 authorises the University to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of movable and immovable property, including trust or endowed property, for University purposes. It may also borrow money for University purposes on the security of University property, with Central Government approval.

The Act also permits the University to establish certain research or teaching units within a radius of twenty-five kilometres of the University Mosque.

Relevance to Tamil Nadu property readers

The Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920 concerns Aligarh Muslim University and property connected with the University or its named predecessor bodies. The supplied text does not establish general land ownership, registration, planning or development rules for property in Tamil Nadu. A Tamil Nadu buyer or owner would be directly affected only where a transaction or document involves property, rights, gifts or trusts covered by the Act.