Allahabad High Court Refuses to Stay Demolition of Mosque in Sambhal
Court dismisses plea seeking urgent relief, says legal appeal against demolition order is available.
Prayagraj (Fikrokhabar News): The Allahabad High Court has refused to grant a stay on the demolition of a mosque and adjacent structures in Sambhal, dismissing a plea that sought immediate relief. The court stated that the petition is not maintainable, as the petitioners have the option to appeal the demolition order through the proper legal process.
The decision was delivered by Justice Dinesh Pathak after hearing a petition filed by Manzar, the caretaker of Masjid Sharif Ghaus-ul-Wara Rawan Buzurg, along with the mosque committee. The plea was submitted on Friday, during the Dussehra holidays, seeking urgent intervention against the demolition.
The petitioners argued that a marriage hall adjacent to the mosque had already been demolished, and that authorities were planning further demolition on October 2, a day marked by Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra holidays—despite the risk of communal tensions or accidents due to crowd gatherings.
According to the local administration, the marriage hall was built on encroached pond land, while a part of the mosque was allegedly constructed on government land.
During Friday’s hearing, which lasted over 90 minutes, the court did not grant any interim relief to the mosque committee. However, it allowed them to submit relevant documents and scheduled a follow-up hearing for Saturday at 10 AM.
At Saturday’s hearing, Chief Standing Counsel J. N. Maurya argued that the petitioners had the right to appeal the demolition under existing legal provisions. The court accepted this argument and dismissed the petition, reiterating that an alternate remedy was available.
The case continues to draw attention due to the sensitive nature of the demolition and its potential impact on communal harmony in the region.
