Delhi HC to hear plea seeking protection of Race Course Masjid from demolition

The August judgment had paved the way for the eviction of slum dwellers living near the Prime Minister’s residence on Race Course Road.

The Delhi High Court will on Tuesday hear a petition seeking protection of the Race Course Masjid, apprehending its demolition.

The plea was moved after the court on October 15 dismissed a plea by the imam of the masjid that sought restoration of electricity and water connections, cut off on October 7.

The latest plea by a worshipper at the masjid, Syed Ahmed Saud, has sought protection of the masjid against demolition, removal of obstructions to ingress and egress, and redressal of alleged inaction of the Delhi Waqf Board. It is expected to be heard by Justice Anish Dayal.

The utilities at the masjid, a Waqf-notified Grade-II heritage structure situated beside the Delhi Race Club and adjoining Delhi Golf Club, were disconnected on October 7.

While there has been no notice of eviction yet by the Land and Development Officer to the mosque, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on October 15 refused to restore the utilities, saying “demolition work is still going on” in the area, which involves demolition of the jhuggi structures, and that “there is an element of public harm involved”.

While the masjid was not a party to the litigation concerning the eviction of around 700 slum dwellers and the Race Course Club, the NDMC’s counsel orally told the court that the masjid’s premises were “covered” by an HC judgment dated August 25.

The August judgment had paved the way for the eviction of slum dwellers living near the Prime Minister’s residence on Race Course Road. They have since been rehabilitated in Savda Ghevra, nearly 50 km away.

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In its order, the court had said that the petition raised “serious disputed question of facts”, particularly concerning the petitioner’s right, title or interest in the premises and whether the property fell outside the scope of the August 25 judgment.

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Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More