400-yr-old mosque to be partially demolished, Gujarat HC cites public interest

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday, September 23, dismissed a plea by the Manch Masjid Trust and refused to grant a four-week stay, clearing the way for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to partially demolish the 400-year-old mosque in Saraspur for a road-widening project, citing public interest.

The Mansa Masjid Trust had challenged a notice from the AMC which had ordered the mosque leaders to empty parts of the area a road development.

Justice Mauna M Bhatt delivered the ruling, refusing to stay the AMC’s order, observing that the Waqf Act does not apply in this case because the Municipal Commissioner acted under special powers granted by the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations (GPMC) Act, making the plea legally flawed.

The trust had challenged that the mosque is believed to be approximately 400 years old, holding symbolic and cultural significance as it was reconstructed and renovated over the years for preservation.

The mosque’s registered trust was formed under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950, which allows for the facilitation of prayers and religious activities for the Muslim community.

Additionally the trust claimed that the demolition disregards the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, and alleged that the AMC failed to consider objections filed in January 2025.

Meanwhile, the state government justified the project as necessary to ease traffic congestion and enhance urban development along the corridor connecting Kalupur railway station to the Ahmedabad Metro Junction. Officials maintained that all legal procedures under the GPMC Act were followed, and reiterated that the Waqf Act does not apply when special powers are invoked.

The High Court’s ruling supported this decision, recognising the project as being in the public interest and in line with the legal process.

Previously, in September 2024, the demolition of a 500-year-old mosque, a dargah, and a graveyard in Gir Somnath district sparked widespread outrage and led to a petition in the Supreme Court. However, the apex court refused to intervene, siding with the state government’s position that the demolitions were legally justified.