NEW DELHI: The HC on Thursday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) not to initiate any action against the Shahi Idgah in Sadar Bazar for holding a religious gathering in the adjacent park in December 2024. Justice Vikas Mahajan issued notice to the DDA on a petition moved by the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee and sought the authority’s response.
“Renotify on September 10. In the meantime, having regard to the fact that the Waqf tribunal is non-functional, where the petitioner has instituted a suit, it is directed that the DDA shall not take any action pursuant to its notice dated February 11, 2025,” the Court said. The petitioner’s counsel said DDA’s notice of February 11 demanded Rs 12 lakh for using the park surrounding the Idgah for holding Ijtema(religious congregation)last year.
The counsel said the park was part of the Idgah premises and DDA had no claim over it, and a suit was filed before the waqf tribunal against the authority’s claim over it.
However, as the tribunal was non-functional due to a lack of quorum, it was urged that the DDA should refrain from taking any steps in the interim. In response, the DDA’s counsel argued that a single judge of the High Court had already held the park to be DDA property while adjudicating on a previous plea by the petitioner seeking to install a statue of Maharani Lakshmi Bai at the same site. DDA claimed the religious function was held in its park without prior approval.