The Delhi High Court on Monday said Masjid Bangley Wali at Markaz Nizamuddin will continue to remain open beyond the month of Ramzan. This would be the first time since March 2020 that public entry will be permitted at the mosque on days other than those on the month of Ramzan or Shab-e-Barat. “The court has continued its previous interim order. The mosque will remain open till October 14,” advocate Wajeeh Shafiq, who represents the Delhi Waqf Board in its petition seeking easing of restrictions at the Markaz, told The Indian Express. In March, the court had permitted the holding of prayers on five floors (ground and four others) of the mosque during the month of Ramzan, while overruling the police directive of allowing the prayers only on four floors of the mosque. Justice Jasmeet Singh had questioned the police restriction on the use of all floors and asked whether it wouldn’t be better if, during the Covid pandemic, the devotees were spread across five floors rather than four. Almost two years after Markaz Nizamuddin was locked and public entry prohibited in connection with a case alleging violation of Covid norms, the high court in March had said that devotees, irrespective of their number, should be allowed to offer prayers on Masjid Bangley Wali’s four floors (ground and three other floors) on Shab-e-Barat. The police had earlier said that less than 100 persons would be permitted on each floor. According to the conditions imposed by the police for the reopening, the same is only for the holding of namaz and other religious prayers. While no lodging is permitted, one CCTV camera each is required to be installed at the entrance and exit of the mosque as well as on each staircase. Last year, only 50 persons were permitted to hold prayers at the mosque on Shab-e-Barat and during the month of Ramzan. Since March 2020, only five persons have been permitted to offer prayers at the mosque on days other than festivals. The Waqf Board, in the petition filed in February 2021, had submitted that Masjid Bangley Wali, Madarsa Kashif-ul-Uloom, and the attached hostel situated at Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin have been locked since March 2020. The Centre has told the court the premises have been kept “under lock and key” in view of the fact that the Markaz management is itself under investigation in the case registered in 2020 by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch in connection with violation of Covid guidelines.
