Delhi HC gives nod to reopen Nizamuddin Markaz during Ramzan

Delhi HC allowed the reopening of area as extra space would be better in view of the Covid-19 protocol. However, the arrangements will be only for the month of Ramzan and will end with the culmination of Eid.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday (April 1) allowed the reopening of five floors of Masjid Bangle Wali at Nizamuddin Markaz premises for offering namaz during Ramzan. Justice Jasmeet Singh allowed the reopening of Masjid under the same condition as were laid down at the time of reopening for Shab-e-Barat for offering namaz by devotees.

The High Court noted that if more area is permitted for prayer, it would be better in view of COVID protocol. The bench also said that the arrangements will be only for the month of Ramzan and will end with the culmination of Eid. The bench has also been directed to install CCTV at the entry, exit and stairs for the event.

The bench directed that there will be prayers, and namaz only but no Tablighi activities and no lecture will be there. This application was moved in the petition by the Delhi Waqf Board and management committee for the reopening of Masjid Bangle Wali for Shab-e-Barat and for the month of Ramzan.

The High court on Thursday (March 31) was informed by the Delhi Police that it will allow the offering of namaz in Masjid Bangle Wali on the conditions laid down by the High Court while granting permission offering of prayer during Shab-e-Barat.

Earlier the High Court on March 22, allowed the reopening of the Masjid Bangle Wali for Shab-e-Barat after removing the condition of limiting the number of devotees proposed by the SHO Hazrat Nizamuddin Police station. The bench allowed the reopening of the ground and four other floors of the mosque after hearing the contentions of the counsels of the applicants.

The Court had allowed the application after modifying the conditions regarding the bar on foreign devotees, CCTV cameras, and Tablighi activities including others. The court had asked the Delhi Waqf Board and Management Committee to follow COVID-19 protocols and social distancing and to deploy volunteers with a thermal scanner to check the temperature of the visiting devotees.

It is also asked the applicants will arrange the thermal scanners. Besides, information regarding the conditions for entry of foreigners will be displayed at every gate. The counsel for the applicant/petitioner Delhi Waqf Board placed in the record the order of February 26, 2022 issued by DDMA withdrawing all the COVID-19 restrictions.

Advocate Wajeeh Shafiq, counsel for the applicant had argued that the Markaz premises should be reopened according to the recent order issued by DDMA. What DDMA has said about other religious places will govern this place also. It has been lying closed since 2020.

Senior Advocate Rebecca John appearing for the Management committee argued that there is no reason why there should be a restriction on the opening of the premises. Petitioner Delhi Waqf Board through advocate Wajeeh Shafiq has sought to reassess the necessity of keeping the waqf premises, situated at Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin between Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin and police Station Hazrat Nizamuddin, under their locks.

The petition said that the respondents have put the waqf premises Masjid Bangley Wali, Madarsa Kashif-Ul-Uloom and the attached hostel situated as Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi under their locks since March 31, 2020.