Entire structure of Sanjauli Mosque will be demolished; lower two floors also illegal, district court ruled

October 30, 2025

A petition regarding the demolition of the lower two floors of the controversial Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, was heard in the District Court on Thursday. The court upheld the Municipal Commissioner’s Court’s orders, which ordered the demolition of the lower two floors.

The Waqf Board had challenged the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s Court’s May 3 order, which declared the entire mosque illegal and ordered its demolition. On Thursday, the District Court also upheld the demolition orders of the entire structure of the Sanjauli Mosque.

What is the matter?

On October 6, Additional District Judge Yajuvendra Singh, after hearing arguments from the Waqf Board and Municipal Corporation’s lawyers, listed the case for October 30 for a final order.

On May 17, the Waqf Board challenged the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s Court’s May 3 order, which declared the Sanjauli Mosque illegal and ordered the demolition of the lower two floors.

During the hearing on May 19, the court issued a summons to the head of the mosque committee and the Shimla Municipal Corporation and summoned the records.

On May 23, the MC was again issued a notice asking it to produce the records. In the hearing on May 26, the court put an interim stay on the demolition of the mosque. The MC sought time to file a reply. On May 29, the court upheld the stay until July 5.

On July 11, the case was considered debatable. On August 8 and 21, the Waqf Board sought time for debate. On September 6, the debate lasted for about two and a quarter hours. Now, on October 30, the decision in the case has come that the entire structure is illegal, and the lower two floors too will be demolished.