HC declines urgent hearing on plea against stopping of prayers at mosque

‘ASI stopped namaz on May 13 without serving any notice’

The Delhi High Court on Monday declined an urgent listing to a plea by the managing committee of the Delhi Waqf Board against the stopping of offering namaz by devotees at a Mughal mosque in South Delhi’s Mehrauli area.

A Vacation Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri and Justice Poonam A. Bamba said there was no urgency in the matter when it was mentioned by advocate M. Sufian Siddiqui on behalf of the managing committee of the Delhi Waqf Board.

Advocate Siddiqui said it is not the contentious ‘Quwattul Islam Mosque’ and is a duly gazette notified Waqf property that has a duly appointed Imam and Moazin. He said the Mughal mosque is situated within the ‘Qutub Complex’ but outside the ‘Qutub Enclosure’.

He submitted that namaz was regularly performed at the mosque and has never been closed for worship.

However, the officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in an “absolutely unlawful, arbitrary and precipitous manner” completely stopped the namaz on May 13, 2022, without serving any notice or order, Mr. Siddiqui said.

The counsel said the fundamental rights of the worshippers stand violated on a continuous basis and to ensure that the primacy of rule of law is preserved and upheld, this matter may be listed for urgent hearing.