New Delhi, February 28 – The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking clarification on its earlier order related to the installation of Maharani Lakshmi Bai's statue at Shahi Idgah Park in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar. The bench, comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, stated that its October 7, 2024 order was clear and did not require further interpretation.
The Shahi Idgah Managing Committee had approached the court, arguing that the single judge’s observations were only meant to resolve the issue at hand and did not amount to a transfer of Waqf property title to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), outside the provisions of the Waqf Act. However, the division bench refused to entertain the plea and advised the committee to seek appropriate legal remedies if they wished to challenge the DDA's notice.
The appeal originated from a single judge’s order that refused to restrain authorities from installing the statue of the freedom fighter. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had already installed the statue, and it was confirmed that this did not interfere with the rights of those offering prayers at the site.
The committee also raised concerns that the DDA was demanding user charges for hosting the annual religious congregation, "Ijtema," at Idgah Park. The court clarified that the applicant was free to challenge the DDA's notice through legal channels.
Earlier, the single judge had dismissed the committee’s plea to prevent civic authorities from encroaching on Shahi Idgah, which the committee claims is Waqf property. The committee cited a 1970 gazette notification stating that Shahi Idgah Park, built during the Mughal period, serves as a site for offering namaz and can accommodate up to 50,000 worshippers.
However, the court maintained that the committee had no legal grounds to oppose the maintenance and upkeep of the park by the DDA or the installation of the statue by the MCD.