In a major development, the District Court in Shimla on October 30 dismissed two appeals filed by the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee, thereby upholding the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner’s Court order to demolish the disputed Sanjauli mosque structure in its entirety. The ruling reaffirms the Commissioner’s Court’s May 3 decision, which had declared the construction illegal and directed that the lower two floors of the mosque be demolished.
The verdict was delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge Yajuvender Singh, who had reserved the judgment on October 6 after hearing extensive arguments from both sides. The Waqf Board had filed its appeal on May 17, contesting the Commissioner’s finding that the mosque was an unauthorised construction built in violation of municipal regulations.
Mohammed Latif, president of the Sanjauli Mosque Committee, who, along with the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board, had filed the appeal, said, “We will challenge the District Court’s decision in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. We have valid grounds to argue that the mosque cannot be completely demolished.”
Secularism in ICU! 🤲🏽
Shimla court orders demolition of all five stories of Sanjauli Mosque! pic.twitter.com/IZXkHtNPOg
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) October 30, 2025
Advocate Jagat Pal, representing the Resident Welfare Society, Sanjauli, the petitioner seeking demolition of the mosque, said, “Today’s verdict reaffirms the order of the MC Commissioner’s Court. The entire mosque has been declared illegal, and the Waqf Board along with the mosque committee is now required to demolish the entire structure. We welcome this decision. This is the fourth such order since MC Commissioner Bhupender Attri first directed the mosque’s demolition on May 19.”
The case has had a long legal history, remaining pending before the MC Commissioner’s Court for nearly 16 years and involving over 50 hearings. On May 19 this year, the court issued a summons to the president of the mosque committee and the MC Shimla, seeking relevant records. An interim stay was granted on May 26 and extended until July 5. The matter was later deemed ready for arguments, leading to detailed hearings in August and September before the final verdict was reserved.
The controversy surrounding the Sanjauli mosque reignited in August this year following clashes between two groups on August 31. The incident sparked a series of protests by Hindu organisations in Shimla on September 1 and 5, which were followed by violent demonstrations in Sanjauli on September 11. Police resorted to lathi charge and used water cannons to disperse the agitated crowd. The unrest quickly spread to other districts, drawing widespread public attention to the issue.
After the September 11 police action, a total of 21 protests demanding the demolition of the mosque were reported across the state, with the exception of Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti districts. The highest number of demonstrations occurred in Shimla, Kangra, Solan, Kullu, Mandi, and Bilaspur districts, where around 2,400 police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.
Amid the escalating tension, the Sanjauli Mosque Committee appeared before the MC Commissioner’s Court on September 12, expressing willingness to voluntarily remove the mosque’s illegal portions. However, by that time, the MC Commissioner had already issued the final demolition order.
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