NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Delhi Waqf Board to file an application before the SHO of the police station concerned seeking permission to open the other three floors of Nizamuddin Markaz, where the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained shut since then, to enable devotees to offer prayers during Shab-e-Barat and Ramzan.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri noted the statement of the counsel for Delhi Waqf Board, which has sought the court’s direction to the Centre to fully open the building, that requisite application will be made to the SHO of Hazrat Nizamuddin Police Station immediately.
The Centre's counsel Rajat Nair assured the court that the application will be considered as per law immediately.
The court, which was hearing an application by the board seeking to open the mosque in view of Shab-e-Barat and Ramzan in March and April, listed the matter for further proceedings on March 16. During the hearing, Nair submitted that he has no objection in allowing 50 persons to offer prayers at first floor but the opening of the entire mosque cannot be permitted.
He referred to the high court's April 15, 2021 order by which it permitted 50 persons to perform the Namaz five times at Masjid Bangley Wali on the first floor. The high court had then granted liberty to the board to make an application to the SHO of Hazrat Nizamuddin Police Station seeking permission for 50 devotees each in the other three floors to be allowed.
The government's counsel said no such application was made to the SHO and that the petitioner may first approach the police official with requisite prayer.
Restrictions
The judge submitted that he has no objection in allowing 50 persons to offer prayers at first floor but the opening of the entire mosque cannot be permitted.