'There is a Gurudwara, let it be': Supreme Court dismisses Delhi Waqf Board's claim
The top court also referred to testimony recorded in the original trial, where a witness had admitted that a Gurudwara had been operating on the premises since 1947.
- Jun 4, 2025,
- Updated Jun 4, 2025 7:31 PM IST
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board, which had claimed a property in the Shahdara area of the national capital as a waqf property, observing that a Gurudwara had been functioning there for decades.
“There is a Gurudwara, let it be. Even if there is any claim, you should relinquish that claim saying a Gurudwara is already there,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma told the counsel for the Delhi Waqf Board.
The court was hearing the Board’s petition challenging a September 2010 decision of the Delhi High Court that had dismissed its suit for possession of the Shahdara property. The Waqf Board had argued that the land was a waqf property being used as such “since time immemorial.”
The Waqf Board’s counsel referred to the trial court findings, saying a mosque existed at the site and pointed to a witness who testified that “some kind of a Gurudwara” was built there but not registered.
The Supreme Court, however, rejected the phrasing. “Not some kind of a Gurudwara, it is a fully functional Gurudwara,” the bench said, upholding the High Court’s findings.
The top court also referred to testimony recorded in the original trial, where a witness had admitted that a Gurudwara had been operating on the premises since 1947.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board, which had claimed a property in the Shahdara area of the national capital as a waqf property, observing that a Gurudwara had been functioning there for decades.
“There is a Gurudwara, let it be. Even if there is any claim, you should relinquish that claim saying a Gurudwara is already there,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma told the counsel for the Delhi Waqf Board.
The court was hearing the Board’s petition challenging a September 2010 decision of the Delhi High Court that had dismissed its suit for possession of the Shahdara property. The Waqf Board had argued that the land was a waqf property being used as such “since time immemorial.”
The Waqf Board’s counsel referred to the trial court findings, saying a mosque existed at the site and pointed to a witness who testified that “some kind of a Gurudwara” was built there but not registered.
The Supreme Court, however, rejected the phrasing. “Not some kind of a Gurudwara, it is a fully functional Gurudwara,” the bench said, upholding the High Court’s findings.
The top court also referred to testimony recorded in the original trial, where a witness had admitted that a Gurudwara had been operating on the premises since 1947.