District court dismisses Himachal Waqf Board’s plea; upholds MC Commissioner’s decision to raze structure
TNR News Network
SHIMLA: The district court on Thursday (October 30, 2025) upheld the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner’s May 3 order declaring the Sanjauli mosque illegal and directed that the entire five-storey structure be demolished. The Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board’s appeal challenging the demolition order was dismissed.
The court reaffirmed that the mosque building, located in the Sanjauli area of Shimla, was constructed without requisite approvals and violated municipal building norms. Earlier, the MC Commissioner had termed even the lower two floors unauthorised and had ordered their demolition, a decision now upheld in full by the court.
Months of hearings before final verdict
The dispute dates back to May when the Waqf Board moved the district court against the MC’s directive. During the hearings, the court had initially stayed the demolition and sought records from both the mosque committee and the municipal authorities.
Additional District Judge Yajuvender Singh had reserved the verdict on October 6 after hearing extensive arguments from both sides. The Waqf Board had sought more time for its submissions in multiple hearings held between July and August. The final round of arguments, lasting nearly two and a half hours, took place on September 6.
Verdict delivered on October 30
Delivering its judgment on October 30, the court ruled that all five floors of the mosque were constructed illegally and without municipal approval. It upheld the MC Commissioner’s decision, paving the way for the demolition of the entire structure.
The order has reignited discussions in Shimla over unauthorised religious and private constructions. The Shimla Municipal Corporation is expected to proceed with the demolition in compliance with the court’s ruling.
