NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday allowed the re-opening of certain areas 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 the month of Ramzan.
Justice Jasmeet Singh, who was hearing a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board seeking a direction to open the mosque for the holy month, clarified that no “Tablighi activities” and lectures can take place on the premises and only prayers can be offered.
“It is directed that for Ramadan, religious prayers shall be permitted to be offered on the ground floor and four floors at Masjid Bangle Wali. This arrangement is only for the one month of Ramzan culminating with Eid Ul Fitr,” ordered the court.
“Religious prayers are allowed but no Tablighi activities. Let’s not dilute it. There will be no lectures. Prayers can be made. But no lectures,” the court stated. It added that the instant permission was in continuation of the March 16 order which imposed various conditions for the reopening of the premises for the occasion of Shab-e-Bharat.
The court directed the installation of CCTV cameras at the entry, exit and stairs of each floor and said that it shall be the responsibility of the Markaz management to ensure that the cameras are fully functional during Ramzan.
For the ocassion of Shab-e-Bharat, the court had removed the 100-person limit at one floor and said it has been agreed that the management of the mosque will ensure that Covid-19 protocols and social distancing will be followed while allowing devotees to enter the mosque to offer namaz.