Shimla, May 3 — The Municipal Commissioner’s court has ordered the demolition of two additional floors of the Sanjauli mosque, declaring them illegal after the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board failed to produce revenue records justifying their existence.
In a ruling issued this week, the court directed both the Waqf Board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee to dismantle the remaining upper floors of the five-storey structure, stating that the construction lacked mandatory approvals from the municipal corporation.
“The mosque may have existed before 1947, but reconstruction cannot proceed without due process and necessary permissions,” the court noted. It also raised concerns about the absence of sanctioned architectural plans during the rebuilding process.
The Waqf Board’s legal representative maintained that the mosque was originally present prior to India’s independence and had merely been reconstructed following demolition.
However, the argument failed to convince the court, which emphasized regulatory compliance over historical claims.
This decision follows an earlier directive issued on October 5 last year, when the Commissioner’s court instructed the Waqf Board and mosque committee to demolish the top three floors and submit revenue documents for the remaining levels.
The lack of documentation for the lower two floors has now led to a full order for their removal.
Officials said the order will be enforced if voluntary compliance is not observed.
