New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a status report from the Delhi Police while hearing a petition demanding the reopening of the Markaz Nizamuddin mosque on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat and Ramzan. The bench, headed by Justice Mukta Gupta, directed the police to present the status report by March 4.
Advocate Sanjay Ghosh, appearing for the Delhi Waqf Board, noted that the festival of Shab-e-Barat will take place midway through March and that the month of Ramzan too will begin around April 2. For the impending festive season, the petition demanded the opening of the mosque.
During the hearing, the Central Government said the opening of Markaz Nizamuddin shall depend on guidelines by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
Appearing for the Centre, advocate Rajat Nair said that both Delhi Police and Waqf Board officials have visited the mosque in a joint inspection, during which areas required for religious purposes as well as other needs have been identified.
The mosque had been sealed by the Delhi Police ahead of the first wave of the COVID 19 pandemic back in March 2020, after a religious event was organized which saw the participation of many foreign nationals.
