The ongoing dispute regarding the Sanjauli Mosque came before the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner on Saturday, where key developments were made.
During the hearing, the Assistant Engineer of the Municipal Corporation provided a status report, revealing that only 50% of the demolition work on the mosque’s three illegal floors had been completed. Both the Mosque Committee and the Waqf Board requested additional time to finish the remaining demolition work.
Representatives for the local residents also appeared in court, seeking to be made a party to the ongoing case. This case, which originally began in 2010, was given a deadline by the High Court to be resolved by December 20, 2024.
The Municipal Corporation Commissioner, during the proceedings, directed the Mosque Committee and Waqf Board to present land ownership documents and revenue records to support their claims. In response, the Waqf Board informed the court that they were in the process of gathering the necessary revenue records and would submit them as soon as they were available.
To ensure the timely completion of the demolition, the Commissioner set the next hearing for March 15, 2025. By this date, the remaining illegal floors of the mosque are required to be fully demolished. The Mosque Committee and Waqf Board have also been instructed to submit all relevant land documents and revenue records by this date. Furthermore, the Assistant Engineer of the Municipal Corporation is expected to provide an updated status report at that time.
Previously, on October 5, 2024, the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner had ordered the demolition of the illegal floors of the mosque. This followed the Mosque Committee’s voluntary request to remove the structures. The order mandated that the second, third, and fourth floors of the mosque be demolished within two months.
Meanwhile, the Himachal Muslim Organization filed a petition in the District and Sessions Court to be included in the case. However, this petition was dismissed by the court.
Read More: “Marriage Is Relationship Built On Mutual Trust, Companionship”: SC
