Mosque in Allahabad HC complex: SC asks UP govt to explore possibility for relocating

The Supreme Court today asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explore the possibility of granting a piece of land to relocate an illegal mosque situated inside the Allahabad High Court complex.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud asked the counsel for Uttar Pradesh government to obtain instructions on the relocation of the mosque to "solve the problem".

The court was hearing the Waqf Board's plea challenging the November 8, 2017, order of the Allahabad High Court which gave it three months to move the mosque out of the premises.

Additional Advocate General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Uttar Pradesh government, said that the administration would try to find out an alternative piece of land for relocation and if that cannot be done, it will apprise the court of the reasons on July 3, the next date of hearing.

On April 2, the Allahabad High Court had told the apex court that it does not have an alternative plot of land for relocating a mosque situated on the premises and the state government may consider shifting it to another land.

The top court had then sought the view of the Uttar Pradesh government and asked the Sunni Central Waqf Board to serve the copy on the counsel for the state government.

The Allahabad High Court had said that as far as high court is concerned, there is no alternative land for relocating the mosque.

It had said there is already shortage of space for parking of advocates' vehicles and there is no alternative land where the mosque can be shifted.

Waqf Board had contended that the structure had been there for several decades and it can't be just asked to move out.

It has moved the apex court against the high court verdict by which it had directed removal of the mosque situated in the high court premises.

The apex court had earlier directed the parties to arrive at a consensus on where the mosque should be relocated.