Sanjauli Mosque Dispute Reaches High Court

Shimla’s long‑standing Sanjauli Mosque controversy has entered a crucial stage, with the Himachal Pradesh High Court now set to hear the matter. On Thursday, the Waqf Board filed a petition challenging the District Court’s October 30 ruling, which upheld the Municipal Commissioner’s order declaring two lower floors of the mosque illegal and directing their demolition. A Division Bench of Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Romesh Verma will take up the case later today.

The District Court had confirmed that the mosque stood on government land and that two floors of the five‑storey structure were built without approval. It ordered the Waqf Board and the Mosque Committee to demolish the illegal sections within two months, failing which the Municipal Corporation would step in and recover costs. Both bodies were held jointly responsible for the unauthorized construction.

The dispute, dating back nearly 16 years with over 50 hearings, flared up after clashes in Mahli on August 31, 2024, followed by protests in Shimla and violent demonstrations in Sanjauli–Dhali. In the aftermath, the Mosque Committee itself offered to remove the disputed portions.

Key milestones include the Commissioner’s October 5, 2024 order allowing demolition of three floors, the subsequent removal of two floors by the Committee, and a May 3, 2025 directive to clear the remaining two. The Waqf Board’s appeal led to interim stays and repeated hearings before the District Court delivered its October 30 verdict.

With the High Court now seized of the case, the upcoming hearing will decide whether the demolition order is upheld or overturned.