The administrative action involving the demolition of a mosque situated within the District Magistrate (DM) office complex in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has now escalated to the Allahabad High Court. A petition challenging the demolition drive conducted by the local administration has been submitted to the High Court by Mohammad Tanveer Ahmad, son of the mosque committee's mutawalli. The legal submission formally questions the procedural validity of the administrative measures executed at the site.
Petitioner Challenges Administration and Cites Statutory Violation
In the petition brought before the High Court, petitioner Mohammad Tanveer Ahmad has contended that the demolition was carried out in violation of established legal procedures. The filing explicitly alleges that the local administration took bulldozer action without serving any prior legal notice or obtaining a valid demolition authorization order. Furthermore, the petition argues that the administrative action infringes upon the provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The mosque committee has requested the High Court to examine the overall legality of the administration's decision. The matter is anticipated to be listed for hearing before a single-judge bench of the court.
Administrative Stance and Security Measures Implemented
Conversely, the district administration has maintained that the action taken was entirely lawful and followed appropriate judicial procedures. According to administrative officials, the structure existing inside the Collectorate campus was unauthorized, and its removal was ordered following due process of law. Prior to executing the demolition, elaborate security arrangements were established across the campus. Heavy police forces and security personnel were deployed in and around the Collectorate premises to prevent any breakdown of law and order during the operation, after which the structure was brought down using heavy machinery.
Prior District Court Proceedings and Rejection of Appeal
The High Court petition follows an earlier legal setback suffered by the Muslim side in the district judiciary. On September 4, the court of the District Judge dismissed an appeal filed against an earlier order passed by the City Magistrate. After evaluating the arguments, documentation, and evidence presented by both contesting parties, the District Judge upheld the previous judicial directive authorizing the removal of the structure.
Origins of the Dispute, Monetary Penalty, and Originating Complaint
The legal controversy originated from a formal complaint submitted by Vikas Tyagi, a former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal. Following proceedings on the matter, the City Magistrate's court had on July 17 declared the construction illegal due to alleged unauthorized occupation of government land. Alongside ordering the removal of the mosque structure, the court had also levied a financial penalty of approximately Rs 6.41 crore on the occupants for illegal possession and misuse of public property. With the District Court sustaining that decision, the final determination of the matter now rests with the Allahabad High Court.
