Mosque in Allahabad HC: SC seeks view of UP government

The Allahabad High Court today told the Supreme Court that it does not have alternate land for relocating a mosque situated in its premises and the state government may consider shifting it to another land.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud 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.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Allahabad High Court said that as far as high court is concerned, there is no alternate land for relocating the mosque.

He said the high court has already very less space for parking of advocates' vehicles and there is no alternate land where the mosque can be shifted.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for the Waqf Board said the structure had been there for several decades and it can't be just asked to move out.

The Waqf Board has moved the apex court against the high court verdict by which it had directed for removal of a mosque situated in the high court premises.

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

The Waqf Board had challenged the November 8, 2017, order of the high court which gave it three months to move out of the premises.