Delhi HC allows reopening of Nizamuddin Markaz, permits 50 people to offer namaz

New Delhi: The Delhi High on Thursday allowed the offering of namaz at the Nizamuddin Markaz mosque during the holy month of Ramzan but limited it to 50 people and five times a day.

Markaz had become a center of controversy in March last year when hundreds of people, including foreigners, were locked inside the mosque for days due to the nationwide lockdown and later many among them were found to be Covid-19 infected. The Markaz had been closed since then.

Over the plea by Delhi Waqf Board to reopen the religious place, Justice Prathiba M Singh of the Delhi HC asked the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Nizamuddin to permit 50 people and only on the first floor of the mosque.

The court declined the request of increasing the number of people and reopening all the floors.

But Justice Singh asked the petitioner, represented by senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, to move an application to the SHO, if they wanted and the police official can decide over it.

Presently, Disaster Management Act is in place in the national capital, prohibiting any religious or social gathering except for marriages and funerals due to the resurgence of Covid-19 infections.

The court, however, mentioned that its order will be subject to any notification issued by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). (UNI)