Delhi High Court permits reopening of Nizamuddin Markaz during Ramzan

The High Court, however, clarified that “no Tablighi activities” will be allowed.

The Nizamuddin Markaz in New Delhi on March 17, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

The Delhi High Court on Friday permitted certain sections of the Nizamuddin Markaz to be reopened to allow devotees to offer prayers during the holy month of Ramzan. These sections had been locked since March 31, 2020, after several people who attended a religious congregation there contracted COVID-19. 

“It is directed that for Ramadan, namaz and religious prayers shall be permitted to be offered on the ground floor and four floors at ‘Masjid Bangle Wali’. This arrangement is only for the one month of Ramzan culminating with Eid Ul Fitr,” Justice Jasmeet Singh said.

The High Court, however, clarified that only religious prayers and namaz will be allowed during this period. It clarified that, during the period specified, “no Tablighi activities” will be allowed.

“Let’s not dilute it. There will be no lectures. Prayers can be made. But no lectures,” the judge said.

The direction of the High Court came while hearing a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board seeking permission to reopen the mosque for the holy month.

The High Court ordered that it will be the Markaz management’s responsibility to ensure that the CCTV cameras installed at the entry, exit and staircase of each floor are fully functional during the period of Ramzan.

Last month, the High Court had permitted reopening of three floors of the Nizamuddin centre for the limited purpose of enabling devotees to offer prayers during Shab-e-Barat.

The Central government has opposed a full reopening of the Nizamuddin centre and allowed only a few people to offer prayers on certain religious occasions. The government’s stand is that the premises is a “case property” and that the Waqf Board had no locus-standi to seek its reopening. 

The High Court had allowed one floor to open for prayers through an order on April 15, 2021. The Delhi Waqf Board has been pursuing its petition for reopening of the other three floors before the High Court.

After the Tablighi Jamaat event at the Nizamuddin centre during the first lockdown in 2020, several FIRs were registered under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, Foreigners Act, and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The entire building was sealed for the purpose of sanitisation and disinfection by the authorities. The keys of the premises were subsequently handed over to the police.