Demolition drive: Delhi HC asks authorities to grant 1 month for vacating mosque premises
By : PTI
Update: 2024-06-13 11:33 GMT
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the DDA and a local religious body to grant one month's time to the caretaker of a mosque and madarsa to vacate the Hazrat Nizamuddin-based masjid premises which has been decided to be demolished by the authorities.A vacation bench of Justice Amit Sharma, in an order passed on Wednesday, made it clear that no further extension of time shall be granted to petitioner Faizyab Masjid and Madarsa or any other person claiming through it to vacate the premises.
The mosque and madarsa are situated near the ISBT bus depot at Sarai Kale Khan in Hazrat Nizamuddin.
The high court was hearing a plea seeking to declare the action of officials of the Delhi Police and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) of threatening demolition of the masjid on June 13 to be illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.
The Delhi Religious Committee, represented by advocate Arun Panwar, has decided to remove unauthorised religious structures from public land.
The petition also sought to direct the authorities to supply a copy of the orders and minutes of meeting and other file notings relating to the decision to demolish the masjid and madarsa and grant an appropriate time to the petitioner to avail legal remedies against it.
The plea sought that till such time no coercive action be taken against the masjid and madarsa.
However, during the hearing, the petitioner's counsel sought the court's indulgence to grant time to vacate the premises within one month.
The high court recorded the statement of the mosque's caretaker and authorised representative that they shall vacate the premises within one month and no one shall make any further endeavour to stall the drive undertaken by the authorities.
"In view of the undertaking given by the caretaker of the petitioner before this court, respondent nos. 1 and 2 (religious committee and DDA) are directed to grant a period of one month to the petitioner or any other person claiming through it to vacate the subject premises, that is, mosque and madarsa situated at Sarai Kale Khan," the court said.
The court allowed the petitioner's request to withdraw the petition and added that the petitioner shall abide by the undertaking given by their caretaker and authorised representative.