Sanjauli mosque case: Himachal court extends stay order on demolition

A Shimla court on Thursday, 29 May, extended the stay on the demolition of the disputed mosque located in the Sanjauli locality till the time the case is under judicial consideration.

The order was passed by a single bench of additional district and sessions judge Yajuvender Singh.

During the hearing, the Municipal Corporation of Shimla argued that the demolition order issued by the commissioner's court should be upheld and that no stay should be granted.

However, after considering the arguments, the court observed that the matter is fit for detailed hearing and the demolition orders should be stayed.

It then scheduled the next hearing of the case for 5 July.

On 26 May, the court had passed the stay orders and had sought the Municipal Corporation's reply in this case.

Meanwhile, the Waqf Board has challenged the orders passed by the Commissioner's Court on 3 May. The court had directed the remaining two floors of the mosque to be razed, saying the Waqf Board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee were not able to provide documents regarding the ownership of the mosque's site.

On 5 October 2024, the Commissioner's Court had found the top three floors of the five-storeyed mosque illegal, after which it ordered the mosque committee and the Waqf Board to demolish the floors within eight weeks and also bear the cost of the demolition.