The Madras High Court on Tuesday permitted a mosque-cum-Madrasa at Mahalakshmi Nagar in Velampalayam, Tiruppur city, to function as usual until the disposal of an appeal preferred by it before the Housing and Urban Development Secretary against the Collector’s refusal to grant No Objection Certificate (NOC).
A Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq also directed the Housing Secretary to dispose of the statutory appeal on or before July 26 and communicate the decision to the mosque management as well as the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board within three days thereafter.
The orders were passed after the mosque as well as the Wakf board, represented by its counsel S. Haja Mohideen Gisthi, filed individual affidavits undertaking to abide by the decision to be taken by the Housing Secretary. The judges had insisted upon filing such affidavits to permit the mosque to function till the disposal of the appeal.
The Division Bench was seized of a contempt of court petition filed by Venkateswara and Mahalakshmi Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association against the government officials for not having taken action against the mosque though it had been functioning since 2012 without obtaining NOC or building plan permission from the corporation.
When the contempt proceedings were pending, Tiruppur Collector S. Vineeth passed an order on May 8 this year refusing to grant NOC. Subsequently, the corporation officials decided to lock and seal the mosque leading to protests by the Muslim residents who indulged in road blockade for over two hours on June 30.
Mr. Gisthi made a mention regarding this to the Bench and sought an urgent hearing of the matter.
