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The mosque management was reportedly served an eviction notice on October 19, giving it six days to vacate the premises.
The mosque’s Imam, Maulana Haroon Rahi, has alleged that the Waqf Board has not provided adequate assistance.
The future of Delhi’s century-old Race Course Mosque remains uncertain as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has told the Delhi High Court that electricity cannot be restored to the mosque complex while demolition work continues, citing the risk of harm to the public.
The development comes amid mounting efforts by Muslim organisations to secure protection for the mosque, restore essential services and prevent its possible demolition.
The mosque’s water and electricity supply has been disconnected, with officials on Wednesday saying the disruption also extends to surrounding areas as part of a wider demolition drive.
The mosque management was reportedly served an eviction notice on October 19, giving it six days to vacate the premises. The notice identifies the land as belonging to the Union government’s Land and Development Office (L&DO) and warns against unauthorised occupation and construction.
NDMC cites public safety
A senior NDMC official said several properties, including the mosque, had lost their water and electricity connections following an L&DO order linked to the ongoing demolition drive.
Nearly 700 families in the Race Course Road area are also likely to be affected, officials said. Residents have reportedly been asked to vacate and offered alternative accommodation nearby.
The mosque predates Independence and is listed as a Grade-II heritage monument on the NDMC’s heritage list. However, the L&DO maintains that the structure stands on government land and considers it an encroachment.
Muslim bodies seek Centre’s intervention
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has written to the L&DO, urging it to halt demolition-related action. In a letter dated October 21, JIH said the mosque was a gazetted Waqf property and argued that it had been excluded from surveys concerning unauthorised settlements.
JIH vice-president Malik Moatasim Khan demanded the restoration of water and electricity, protection for the mosque and its adjoining graveyard, and unobstructed access for worshippers. He also raised concerns about the Waqf authorities’ response to the eviction notice.
“Such actions are highly inappropriate and contrary to the principles of justice and fairness. The administration must explain the legal basis for its actions and ensure that the rights and dignity of worshippers are respected,” Khan said in the letter.
Separately, a Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind delegation led by its general secretary, Maulana Muhammad Hakimuddin Qasmi, met Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday and submitted a memorandum seeking the mosque’s protection and restoration of essential services.
Rijiju reportedly assured the delegation that he would make efforts to address the matter.
Dispute over mosque’s legal status
JIH has cited the mosque’s inclusion in the 1977 Delhi Gazette and the NDMC heritage list as evidence of its documented status. It has also argued that court proceedings concerning unauthorised occupants in the area are separate from the mosque’s case.
The mosque’s Imam, Maulana Haroon Rahi, has alleged that the Waqf Board has not provided adequate assistance. Prayers were offered at the mosque on Tuesday, even as uncertainty continued over its future.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Ask News18The New Delhi Municipal Council informed the Delhi High Court that electricity cannot be restored to the mosque complex while demolition work continues, citing potential risks to public safety.
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October 22, 2026, 06:08 IST
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