The Delhi High Court on Monday allowed certain portions of the Nizamuddin Markaz, where the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and which has remained shut since then, to stay open till October 14.
The court’s directions came on a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board and Justice Jasmeet Singh extended the interim order passed last month on re-opening of certain portions of the Markaz premises in view of Ramzan and the festival of Eid.
Several FIRs were registered under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, the Foreigners Act and various provisions of the penal code in connection with the Tablighi Jamaat event held at the Nizamuddin Markaz and the subsequent stay of foreigners there during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. The Board had moved the court in 2021 seeking directions to reopen the premises on the grounds that even after unlock-1 guidelines permitted religious places outside containment zones to be opened, the Markaz comprising the Masjid Bangle Wali (mosque), Madarsa Kashif-ul-Uloom, and attached hostel continues to be locked up.
On April 1, the court had allowed the mosque to be opened for the month of Ramzan while clarifying that no "Tablighi activities" and lectures can be take place in the premises and only prayers can be offered.
"It is directed that for Ramadan, namaz and religious prayers shall be permitted to be offered on the ground floor and four floors at Masjid Bangle Wali. This arrangement is only for the one month of Ramzan culminating with Eid-Ul-Fitr," the court had ordered. A direction was also passed for the installation of functional CCTV cameras at the entry, exit and stairs of each floor of the premises. The permission was in continuation of an earlier order which imposed various conditions for the reopening of the premises on the occasion of Shab-e-Bharat in March.
The court, while removing the 100-person limit at one floor had then 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 Central Government, in its affidavit, has opposed fully re-opening the Nizamuddin Markaz and stated that only a few people may be allowed to offer prayers on certain religious occasions.