Shimla:
The District and Sessions Court in Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla on Thursday (May 29, 2025) extended the interim stay on the demolition of the Sanjauli mosque, ruling that no floors of the structure can be razed while the case remains under judicial consideration.
The matter has now been scheduled for detailed arguments on July 5. This development comes as part of a legal challenge filed by the Waqf Board against earlier demolition orders issued by the Shimla Municipal Commissioner.
The dispute revolves around the Shimla Municipal Commissioner’s directive issued on May 3, which declared the entire mosque structure illegal and ordered the demolition of three lower floors also. This order followed a previous directive dated October 5 last year that called for the demolition of the top two floors.
Waqf Board questions legality of MC commissioner’s demolition order
The Waqf Board filed an appeal, questioning the legality of the MC commissioner’s orders and asserting its longstanding claim over the property. In today’s hearing, the court accepted the matter for argument and decided to maintain the status quo.
Advocate BS Thakur, representing the Waqf Board, stated that the mosque’s floors cannot be demolished as long as the case is being heard by the sessions court.
The court had already imposed a stay on the demolition during the previous hearing on May 25, which has now been officially extended. According to Thakur, the stay ensures the structure remains intact while legal proceedings continue.
Mosque under legal scrutiny after 16 years of proceedings
The Sanjauli mosque case has been pending for nearly 16 years in the court of the Shimla Municipal Commissioner, with over 50 hearings during this time.
The final ruling by the commissioner was issued on May 3 this year following directives from the Himachal Pradesh High Court to resolve the case before May 8.
The high court had also warned of contempt proceedings if the deadline was not met. Municipal Commissioner Bhupender Atri based the demolition orders on the mosque committee’s failure to provide ownership documents, approved building plans or any no objection certificates (NOCs).
Sunil Chadha
