The Allahabad High Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain whether a place of worship can be sealed without giving prior notice or a chance for the owner to be heard.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Ahsan Ali, who challenged the sealing of a mosque in Muzaffarnagar.
Court Seeks Legal Basis for Action
A two-judge bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Siddharth Nandan raised key questions in its March 18 order.
The court asked, “Whether there existed any authority under law to seal a place of worship under construction without issuance of prior notice or affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.”
It also questioned if property owners need prior government permission to carry out construction within a place of worship.
Petitioner Challenges Sealing of Mosque
According to the petition, Ahsan Ali said he is the lawful owner of the land where the mosque was built. He stated that he had purchased the plot in 2019 through a registered sale deed from Praveen Kumar Jain.
The issue began when authorities sealed the mosque after construction work, including building a boundary wall, was started.
Officials claimed the construction was illegal and that no permission had been taken from the concerned authorities.
No Notice Given, Says Petitioner
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that the authorities did not issue any prior notice or provide an opportunity for a hearing before sealing the property.
The plea said this action violated basic legal principles and the rights of the property owner.
Government Asked to Respond
Taking note of the arguments, the High Court directed the state government to file an affidavit explaining under what law such action was taken.
The court has asked the government to clarify whether due process was followed and if such sealing without notice is legally valid.
