Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 21 : The hearing for the Sanjauli Mosque case took place on Saturday in the court of the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner. During the proceedings, the Assistant Engineer of the Municipal Corporation submitted a status report, revealing that only 50 per cent of the demolition work on the mosque's three floors had been completed. The Mosque Committee and the Waqf Board requested additional time to complete the demolition work.
The lawyer representing the local residents also appeared in court, requesting that they be made a party to the ongoing dispute. Notably, the High Court had earlier directed the Municipal Corporation Commissioner to resolve this long-pending matter, originally initiated in 2010, by December 20, 2024.
During Saturday's hearing, the Municipal Corporation Commissioner ordered the Mosque Committee and the Waqf Board to present land ownership documents and revenue records. The Waqf Board informed the court that they were currently in the process of collecting revenue records and would submit them once available.
In response, the Commissioner set March 15, 2025, as the next hearing date. By this date, the mosque's three illegal floors must be fully demolished. Additionally, the Waqf Board and Mosque Committee were instructed to submit all relevant land documents and revenue records.
The Assistant Engineer of the Municipal Corporation was also directed to present an updated status report to the court on March 15, 2025.
Earlier, on October 5, 2024, the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner had ordered the demolition of three illegal floors of the Sanjauli Mosque. This decision followed the Mosque Committee's request for permission to demolish the illegal structures voluntarily. As per the order, the second, third, and fourth floors of the mosque were to be demolished within two months.
Meanwhile, the Himachal Muslim Organization had filed a petition in the District and Sessions Court seeking to become a party to the case. However, this petition was dismissed by the court.