Municipal Commissioner’s Court declares Shimla’s Sanjauli Mosque illegal, orders demolition
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Photo: ANI
New Delhi: A mosque located in Shimla’s Sanjauli area has been at the centre of a long-running dispute. On Saturday, May 3, the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner Court held a hearing, during which the Commissioner, Bhupendra Kumar Atri, declared the structure entirely illegal and ordered its full demolition.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, Atri explained that the mosque had been constructed without the required permissions, including a building permit, a no objection certificate (NOC), and an approved map.
In addition to the three floors that were previously demolished in October, the Commissioner has now directed that the remaining two lower floors also be taken down, The Wire reported.
The demolition order brings an end to a legal battle that has spanned 15 years and involved over 50 court hearings before the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner.
Throughout the proceedings, the Waqf Board was unable to present any documents proving ownership of the land where the mosque stands. Additionally, the mosque committee failed to submit an approved building plan or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the construction.
The Waqf Board has maintained its claim to the land for more than a decade.
Advocate Jagat Pal, who represents the Sanjauli residents, stated that the Municipal Corporation Commissioner issued the demolition order because neither the mosque committee nor the Waqf Board could produce documents proving ownership of the land where the mosque was constructed.
As per the court’s decision, the entire mosque situated in the residential area of Sanjauli is to be torn down, with the expenses for the demolition to be borne by the Waqf Board and the mosque committee.
