New Delhi, October 29: The Centre has assured the Delhi High Court that no coercive action will be taken against the Race Course Masjid in New Delhi for four weeks while the government considers a representation submitted by the Delhi Waqf Board.
Under the assurance given to the court, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) will consider the Waqf Board’s representation and take a decision within four weeks. No coercive action will be taken against the mosque during this period.
The matter came before the court after Syed Ahmed Saud, a worshipper at the mosque, filed a petition seeking protection against demolition and access for devotees. The petition alleged that people were being prevented from entering the premises and that the mosque’s water and electricity connections were disconnected on October 7.
According to the petitioner, the mosque was notified as a Waqf property in the 1977 Delhi Gazette. He also cited a 2009 Delhi government notification recognising it as a Grade-II heritage structure.
The Centre has told the court that there are no immediate plans to demolish the mosque. The government has also cited safety concerns arising from demolition and eviction activity in the surrounding area to explain the restrictions on access and the disconnection of utilities.
