Delhi HC permits Nizamuddin centre to stay open till Oct. 14

Central government has opposed full reopening of the centre 

The Delhi High Court on Monday permitted certain portions of Nizamuddin Markaz, which has been closed since March 31, 2020, to stay open till October 14.

Justice Jasmeet Singh extended the interim order passed on April 1 on reopening certain portions of the premises in view of Ramzan and Id. The court had clarified that only religious prayers and namaz will be allowed during this period. “No Tablighi activities” will be allowed on the premises, the court had specified.

The High Court had also ordered the installation of functional CCTV cameras at the entry, exit and stairs of each floor of the religious centre. The directions of the court came while hearing a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board seeking permission to reopen the premises for the holy month.

The Nizamuddin Markaz was sealed during the first COVID-19-induced lockdown after several people who attended a religious congregation there contracted the infection.

The Central government has opposed a full reopening of the centre and allowed only a few people to offer prayers on certain religious occasions. The government’s stand is that the premises is a “case property” and the Waqf Board had no locus standi to seek its reopening.

After the Tablighi Jamaat event at the Nizamuddin centre in 2020, several FIRs were registered under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, the Foreigners Act and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The entire building was sealed for the purpose of sanitisation and disinfection by the authorities. The keys of the premises were subsequently handed over to the police.

The Delhi Waqf Board had argued that the premises, which is under the lock of Delhi Police, should be opened as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has lifted all restrictions that were imposed on account of the pandemic.