Meerut: Moradabad divisional commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh on Monday stayed the proposed demolition of 38 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, halting the action while the matter remains under hearing before his court.Singh told TOI that the demolition order issued by Rampur district magistrate and Rampur Development Authority vice-chairperson Ajay Kumar Dwivedi would remain stayed until the case was decided. “A hearing was scheduled on Sunday but could not proceed. The demolition order issued by Rampur DM has been stayed until the matter remains sub judice in the commissioner’s court,” Singh said.The stay came after days of protests by students and interventions by political representatives and social organisations. Students had launched an indefinite sit-in on July 17 after the district administration issued notices linked to demolition of 38 campus buildings, arguing that any action before completion of legal proceedings would disrupt academic life and put their future at risk.The demolition order was issued after Rampur Development Authority concluded that 38 of the university’s 40 buildings had been constructed without approved building plans or required permissions. Earlier reports said only the medical college and one academic block had valid construction approvals, while the remaining structures, spread over more than 82,000 sqm, were marked for action.Students, however, maintained that they were not contesting the legal process but wanted protection for ongoing classes and academic activities. On Sunday, a three-member student delegation met DM Dwivedi at the collectorate and submitted a memorandum, reiterating that their studies should not suffer while the matter was pending before competent authorities.The protest drew support from Samajwadi Party legislators, including leader of opposition in UP assembly, who submitted a memorandum to the district administration seeking a halt to demolition. Nine MPs also submitted a separate memorandum, adding to pressure on the administration to defer the action until legal remedies were exhausted.The university, founded by senior SP leader Azam Khan through Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, has been at the centre of several legal and administrative disputes in recent years. The latest demolition order triggered strong political reactions, with opposition leaders alleging that action against the campus would affect thousands of students.