The Delhi High Court has declined to allow prayers at the Race Course Mosque inside the Jaipur Polo Ground complex, while the Centre has assured the court that no demolition action will be taken until authorities decide on representations filed by the Delhi Waqf Board and the petitioner.
The assurance was given by Central Government Standing Counsel Ashish Dixit before a bench led by Justice Anish Dayal. The Centre said officials would decide on the representations as quickly as possible and within four weeks. The matter will next be heard on December 16.
The mosque is located near the Prime Minister’s residence and is part of a complex that, according to the government’s submission, also contains a temple. The Centre told the court that no action was currently being taken to demolish either structure. The assurance provides an interim pause on demolition-related action but does not restore access to the mosque for prayers.
The proceedings followed a petition filed by Syed Ahmed Saud, who sought protection for the mosque and restoration of access to its entrance. The petitioner’s counsel, M. Sufian Siddiqui, also requested that people be allowed to enter the mosque until the dispute was resolved. The court did not grant that request.
During the hearing, the Centre questioned the petitioner’s legal standing to approach the court. Ashish Dixit argued that allowing such petitions could lead to a large number of similar cases. The government also said that the authorities would consider the representations submitted by both the Delhi Waqf Board and the petitioner.
The Waqf Board’s counsel told the court that the board had submitted a representation to the Land and Development Office and other relevant authorities. The decision on those representations will determine the immediate administrative course for the structures within the complex.
The petitioner argued that the mosque is a Grade-II protected building and that any alteration would require approval from the Heritage Conservation Committee. The petition also stated that the mosque has been notified as Waqf property since 1977. According to the petitioner’s submissions, however, the Delhi Waqf Board had not taken steps to ensure continued public access to the site.
The case places several administrative questions before the authorities: how the land is governed, how the Waqf designation is considered alongside land and development controls, and what heritage permissions apply to a protected structure. For now, the court’s position is limited to denying permission for prayers, while the Centre’s undertaking keeps demolition action in abeyance until the representations are decided. The next hearing is scheduled for December 16.
