HC seeks Centre's stand on Delhi Waqf Baord plea on de-listing of 123 properties, refuses stay

New Delhi The Delhi High Court on March 9 refused to grant any interim relief to the Delhi Waqf Board in connection with the allotment of a property, purportedly owned by it, to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and sought the Centre’s stand on its petition concerning the Government’s decision to re-examine the de-listing of its 123 properties.

Justice Yahswant Varma said there was no ground to grant a stay and observed that the property was allotted to ITBP sometime in 2017 and in case the Delhi Waqf Board succeeds in the present proceedings, the allotment can be cancelled.

“I’m presently not inclined to grant a stay. This is not a place for stay. It is not like the property has gone to private people. We can ask Union to hand it back,” the judge said.

The court issued notice on the petition to the Centre, Delhi Development Authority and ITBP Force and directed them to file their response.

The Delhi Waqf Board had moved the high court following the constitution of a two-member committee by the Centre to consider the de-listing of Waqf properties even after a report was submitted by a one-member committee on the same issue in 2017.

Central Government counsel Kirtiman Singh opposed the grant of interim relief to the petitioner and said that till now, there has not been any construction on the site in question and the Board can approach the court in case of any future grievances.

He asserted that the Board should participate in the ongoing proceedings before the committee and the report of one-member committee, which was rejected on account of being inconclusive, can’t be shared with the petitioner.