Indian Court Extends Protection for Sanjauli Mosque Amid Demolition Dispute

Indian Court Extends Protection for Sanjauli Mosque Amid Demolition Dispute
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A court in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, extended its stay order on the demolition of the Sanjauli Mosque on Thursday, May 29, pending further judicial review, Iqna reported. The interim protection, initially granted on May 26, will remain until the case’s next hearing on July 5.

The dispute stems from a May 3 order by the Commissioner’s Court, which deemed the mosque’s top three floors illegal due to unresolved ownership claims and directed their demolition. The Waqf Board, challenging the ruling, argued that the structure’s legality requires thorough examination. During hearings, the Shimla Municipal Corporation pushed for enforcing the demolition, but the sessions court emphasized the need for detailed proceedings.

The mosque, a five-story building in Sanjauli, has been under scrutiny since October 2024, when authorities first declared its upper floors unauthorized. The case highlights tensions over religious property rights in India, following similar controversies like the recent partial demolition of a 185-year-old mosque in Uttar Pradesh.