Delhi High Court Allows Reopening of Nizamuddin Markaz for Shab-e-Barat

The markaz is where the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People outside the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in Nizamuddin. (Image used for representational purposes.)

(Photo Courtesy: Tablighi Jamaat Mewat Facebook Page)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 16 March, allowed reopening of three floors of the Nizamuddin Markaz to enable devotees to offer prayers during Shab-e-Barat and also removed the restriction of having 100 persons on each floor.

The Markaz is the site where the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and had remained shut since then, amid allegations of violation of COVID-19 norms and widespread prejudice against Muslims.

Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri removed the 100-people limit and said it has been agreed that the management of the mosque will ensure that COVID-19 protocols and social distancing will be followed while allowing devotees to enter the mosque to offer namaz.

The court noted that the ground floor and three other floors of the mosque building will be opened at 12 pm one day prior to Shab-e-Barat, which is on 18 March, and will be closed the next day at 4 pm, news agency PTI reported.

To decide on the issue of reopening the mosque during Ramazan, which will begin from 2 April, the high court, which was hearing an application by the Delhi Waqf Board seeking to open the mosque in view of Shab-e-Barat and Ramazan in March and April, listed the matter for 31 March.

Further, the police has also imposed that foreign citizens and OCI card holders will not be allowed inside the markaz and if some devotee of foreign origin or OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) card holder intends to offer namaz at Masjid Bangley Wali, their identity details along with ID proof will be taken by the management and submitted to the Station House Officer (SHO).

The management of the mosque said that it will put a notice on the display board at the entry gate specifying this restriction.

The court was also informed that CCTV cameras have been installed at the entry and exit points of the premises and the management will ensure that there will be screening of devotees with handheld thermal scanners at the entry point, PTI reported.

While senior advocates Sanjoy Ghose and Rebecca John, representing Delhi Waqf Board, had earlier said that the mosque, which is under the lock of Delhi Police, should be opened as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has now lifted all restrictions that were imposed on account of the pandemic.

The Centre, however, in its recent affidavit, has opposed fully reopening the Nizamuddin Markaz and stated that a few people may be allowed to offer prayers on the upcoming religious occasions.

(With inputs from PTI.)