LUCKNOW, Aug. 22 -- The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday directed the state authorities to immediately remove the seals imposed on nearly 30 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti district Justice Pankaj Bhatia passed the order while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the government notices that had effectively shut down the institutions by prohibiting imparting of religious education and threatening action for non-compliance, said senior advocate Prashant Chandra who represented the petitioners. Chandra submitted that the petitioners were neither given an opportunity of hearing nor properly served with the impugned notices. The petitions were opposed by the state government counsel. The court, which had earlier granted interim relief in June, 2025, accepted the contention and ruled that the closure of these madrasas could not be sustained, Chandra said. While ordering reopening, the bench clarified that authorities remain free to issue fresh orders after following due process and granting the madrasas a fair hearing, the petitioner's senior counsel said. MANOJ KUMAR SINGH...