The Delhi High Court has questioned the New Delhi Municipal Council about its decision to disconnect electricity and water supplies to a heritage mosque located near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence. The court has issued a notice seeking a response within two weeks.
On Friday, the Delhi High Court verbally questioned the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) about its decision to disconnect electricity and water supplies to a heritage mosque situated near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence. The court issued a notice to the municipal council requiring their response within two weeks in response to a petition challenging the move.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, presiding over the bench, stated that 'You cannot disconnect electricity without notice', according to The Indian Express.
The petition was filed by the mosque’s imam after a single judge declined to order the restoration of the utilities to the religious structure, which is listed as a heritage property on the NDMC’s website. On October 19, the mosque received an eviction notice stating that the structure stands on government land and is ‘unauthorised’. The Land and Development Office, which operates under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, had instructed the mosque authorities to vacate the premises within six days.
On October 29, the demolition was postponed for four weeks after the Union government informed the court that the Land and Development Office will consider a representation by the Delhi Waqf Board and would not take any coercive action against the structure during this period. However, the government argued against allowing access to the mosque due to safety concerns because of the demolitions in the area.
The notice to the mosque was issued amidst a broader demolition drive in the Race Course Road area, where the prime minister’s official residence is located, including the removal of slum dwellers. On Friday, the lawyer representing the petitioner stated that the NDMC disconnected water and electricity supply to the mosque on October 7, during the demolition of surrounding slum clusters, as reported by The Times of India.
He added that the supplies were disconnected without serving any notice or following due procedure. He emphasized that electricity and water are essential components of the right to life and cannot be withdrawn without statutory safeguards. Moreover, he noted that while the action was allegedly taken in compliance with a High Court order for the demolition of nearby slum clusters, the mosque itself was not part of those proceedings, as reported by the newspaper.
The court will hear the matter again on December 14.
Source:
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