On Wednesday morning, the High Court heard the case concerning the Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh. The court ordered that a status quo be maintained regarding the mosque's lower two floors and scheduled the next hearing for March.
Shimla: The ongoing legal dispute concerning the mosque located in Sanjauli area of Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, is once again in the spotlight. During the hearing of the case on Wednesday, the Himachal Pradesh High Court partially stayed the lower court's demolition order, directing that a status quo be maintained. Consequently, the lower two floors of the mosque cannot be demolished until the next hearing.
This case has been pending in courts for a long time, and discussions continue at political, administrative, and social levels. The High Court's order is currently seen as a significant relief for the Mosque Committee and the Waqf Board.
What Did the High Court Say?
During the hearing on Wednesday morning, the High Court's single bench, presided over by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, clarified that the status quo would be maintained concerning the lower two floors of the mosque. However, the prior firm assurance to demolish the floors constructed above the second floor will remain in effect.
If the upper floors are not demolished within the stipulated time, the Municipal Corporation Shimla will have complete freedom to take action. The Court also clarified that this interim arrangement will remain effective until the next hearing. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for March.
Lower Court Had Ordered Demolition by December 31
Earlier, on October 30, the Shimla District Court delivered a significant verdict in this disputed mosque case. Upholding the decision of the Commissioner's Court of the Municipal Corporation Shimla, the District Court had also declared both lower floors of the mosque illegal. An order was issued to demolish these floors by December 31.
Following this decision, preparations for demolition had also begun at the administrative level. The Mosque Committee and the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board appealed to the High Court against this order.
Waqf Board's Petition and High Court Proceedings
The Waqf Board had filed a petition in the High Court against the District Court's order to demolish the Sanjauli Mosque. This petition was heard on Wednesday. After a preliminary hearing on the facts and documents, the court granted interim relief for the lower two floors, ordering a status quo. However, the Court also made it clear that the upper floors, which had already been promised to be removed, must now be removed under all circumstances.
The High Court had also heard this case on Monday, where a writ petition (Writ Petition) filed by the Waqf Board before a division bench was dismissed. At that time, the Waqf Board had requested to withdraw its petition. It had also sought permission from the court to file a new and appropriate petition based on the same facts. In this new petition, the Municipal Corporation Shimla was named as a respondent, and it was heard on Wednesday.
