CSMC assures of not touching religious structures in road widening drive

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justice Vibha Kankanwadi and Justice Hiten Venegavkar, on Thursday, directed the municipal corporation to submit this position in the form of an affidavit. The order was given after the municipal corporation assured that it will not initiate the removal of places of worship (PoW) affected by road widening for the time being. The next hearing is scheduled for October 17.

A petition has been filed in the bench on behalf of the Railway Station Masjid, challenging the marking carried out by the municipal corporation for road widening. The petitioners have stated that the concerned property is registered under the Waqf Act and possesses both a building permit and a completion certificate.

Background of the petition

The road widening drive is being implemented by the municipal corporation in the city. Under the drive, the marking on the mosque has been carried out.

The petition has been filed by Imam Mohammad Akhlaq Ahmed Shaikh, a member of the mosque committee, challenging the marking carried out by the civic body on the mosque property located along the Station Road to Baba Petrol Pump Road. The petitioners have argued that the mosque is a registered Waqf property, and that it possesses both a building permit (dated May 13, 1998) and a completion certificate (dated March 10, 1999) for the structure.

Arguments in Court

Representing the municipal corporation, Adv Suhas Urgunde stated that no demolition or removal of any religious structure has been initiated so far. He also brought into notice of the court that the petitioners approached the court due to apprehension caused by the marking, and not because any actual action had been taken. On behalf of the petitioners, Adv Ashutosh Kulkarni and Adv Shubham Khoche presented their arguments.