The Supreme Court on Friday chose not to enforce a status quo regarding the alleged unauthorized demolition of Muslim places of worship and other structures at Gir Somnath in Gujarat, indicating a pivotal turn in the ongoing legal proceedings. The decision emerged during a session led by Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, who initially appeared inclined to grant the status quo.
As the hearing unfolded, the bench determined that imposing such an order was unnecessary at this stage. The legal contention began with Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal representing a Muslim party, asserting that the demolished properties were located on Waqf land. Sibal urged the court to prevent the Gujarat government from creating any third-party rights on the disputed land.
In contrast, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, countered these claims by stating that the land in question did not belong to the petitioner, Auliya-E-Deen Committee, but was instead government-owned.
The court was addressing a contempt petition against the Gujarat authorities, who are accused of illegally demolishing residential and religious structures in the state. This was allegedly done in defiance of an interim stay and without prior approval from the court, raising significant questions about the adherence to legal processes in handling property and religious site demolitions.
