Mehrauli mosque demolition: Delhi High Court asks Delhi Development Authority to maintain status quo on land

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The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the DDA to maintain status quo with respect to the land in Mehrauli where a "six centuries old" mosque was demolished last month.

Newswire PTI reported that justice Sachin Datta said the order shall remain in force till the next date of hearing and not come in the way of the authorities taking action against other illegal structures in the area.

The court, while listing the matter for further hearing on February 12, stated that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) shall maintain status quo over the site where the 'Akhoondji mosque' was located.

The court's order came on a plea by the managing committee of the Delhi Waqf Board which has argued that the demolition of the mosque was illegal.

The waqf counsel urged the court to direct maintenance of status quo on the site.

The mosque as well as the Behrul Uloom madrasa was demolished by the DDA on January 30 for being an "illegal structure" in Sanjay van.

The DDA has defended its action before the high court on the ground that the demolition took place pursuant to the recommendations of the Religious Committee dated January 4.

The decision, DDA stated, was taken after the Religious Committee afforded an opportunity of hearing to the CEO of Delhi Waqf Board.

The petitioner contended that the Religious Committee has no jurisdiction to order any demolition action.

On January 31, the court asked DDA to file its reply clearly setting out the action that has been taken in respect of the property concerned as well as its basis.

It also asked DDA to state whether any prior notice was given before taking the demolition action.

Meanwhile, a petitioner on Monday filled a plea seeking an ASI survey of all other closed basements in the Gyanvapi mosque complex days after the district court ruled that a priest can perform prayers in a cellar of the masjid in Varanasi.

The Varanasi district court will hear the petition on Tuesday, newswire PTI reported.

The petitioner Rakhi Singh is a founding member of the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh and is one of the parties in the Maa Shringar Gauri case, which led to the survey of the complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

In the petition, she asked for all closed cellars in the Gyanvapi mosque complex, adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, to be surveyed by the ASI, her advocate Anupam Dwivedi said.

He said a map of the closed basements has also been included in the petition.

The petition said there are "secret cellars" inside the basements, and it is necessary to survey them also so that the "entire truth" of the Gyanvapi mosque complex is revealed. (With inputs from PTI)