In a latest development in the Sanjauli Mosque case, the District Court of Shimla on Thursday ordered the demolition of the entire mosque structure, ruling that even the lower two floors of the building are illegal. The court also upheld the May 3 order of the Shimla Municipal Commissioner’s Court, which had declared the entire mosque construction unauthorised and directed its removal.
The court ruling, delivered by Additional District Judge Yajuvendra Singh on Thursday, marks a significant development in the months-long legal battle between the Waqf Board and the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC).
Earlier, the Waqf Board had challenged the previous order, arguing that only parts of the mosque were disputed, but the District Court dismissed the appeal, confirming that the entire structure stands illegal under municipal regulations.
Advocate and Petitioner Jagat Pal said, “The court has given a decision on a dispute over a structure, deemed unauthorised and not a mosque. The decision, made within six months of appeal by the HP board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee against a previous ruling, dismissed the appeals and upholds the earlier decision.”
Vijay Sharma from Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti said, “…Local residents and the Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti have been actively involved in the case, leading to rapid progress. The Hindu Sanatan society, which has been protesting the illegal activities associated with the structure, welcomes the court’s decision and calls for immediate action to demolish the structure…”
The Shimla Municipal Commissioner’s Court had earlier this year declared the Sanjauli mosque structure unauthorised. In October 2024, the court had ordered the demolition of the top three floors of the five-storey building due to a lack of approvals. Later on May 3, 2025, the same court ruled that the remaining two floors were also constructed illegally, as the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board failed to produce ownership documents, building permits, or sanctioned plans.
On October 5, 2024, the Commissioner’s Court had found the top three floors of the five-storeyed mosque illegal, after which it ordered the mosque committee and the Waqf Board to demolish the floors within eight weeks and also bear the cost of the demolition.
