The Centre told the Delhi High Court on Thursday, October 29, 2026, that no coercive action will be taken against the Race Course Masjid in New Delhi until it decides a representation from the Delhi Waqf Board, which it said would happen within four weeks. Justice Anish Dayal, however, declined to order that worshippers be allowed into the Masjid for Namaz for now, citing safety concerns from demolition work around it.
The case will be heard next on December 16, 2026.
Key facts
- The Land and Development Office (L&DO) will decide the Delhi Waqf Board’s representation within four weeks.
- No coercive action will be taken against the Masjid in the meantime, the Centre’s counsel said.
- The court did not allow Namaz inside for now because of ongoing demolition nearby.
- The Union government has been asked to file a status report with photographs of the site.
- Next hearing: December 16, 2026.
What happened in court
The petition was filed by Syed Ahmed Saud, a regular worshipper at the Masjid, who sought protection from apprehended demolition and restored access for prayers. Standing counsel Ashish Dixit, appearing for the L&DO, said the Waqf Board’s representation would be decided as quickly as possible and within four weeks, and that entry would not be safe while demolition of other structures nearby continued. He added that access to a temple on the same site had also been restricted.
The petitioner’s counsel, M Sufian Siddiqui, disputed this and said demolition in the area was already complete. Justice Dayal asked who would be responsible if someone were injured, and, as reported by PTI, remarked: “We can’t force them to give access for prayers.” The court recorded the objection and directed the Union of India to place a status report with photographs on record. According to ANI, the Centre also questioned whether an individual worshipper had the standing to bring the case.
Background: a notified Waqf property
The Masjid stands inside the Race Course Club complex near the Prime Minister’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, where the L&DO is reclaiming land. According to the petition, the Masjid predates Independence, was included in a Waqf properties notification in 1977, and has been listed as a Grade-II heritage structure since 2009. Its electricity was disconnected on October 7, 2026, and the Delhi Waqf Board wrote to the L&DO on October 19 seeking restoration of power and water.
Two days before Thursday’s hearing, the Centre had already told the court it had no immediate plan to demolish the Masjid, as reported by Bar & Bench. Thursday’s statement goes further by linking that assurance to a fixed four-week window for deciding the Waqf Board’s plea.
Why this matters for Waqf properties
The case is a reminder of how important proper records are for Waqf properties. Gazette notifications, utility connections and heritage listings are the documents the petitioner is relying on here. Mutawallis and Masjid committees in Jalna and across Maharashtra can take a lesson: keep Waqf registration papers, survey records and bills safe and up to date. Our earlier report on a Mutawalli workshop with the Maharashtra Waqf Board covered why this matters, and we have also written on making Masjids accessible and welcoming and on how a Waqf Board used its funds for orphan scholarships.
What happens next
The L&DO’s decision on the Waqf Board’s representation is due by late November. The government’s status report and photographs will be before the court on December 16, when the question of access for Namaz is likely to come up again.
FAQ
Will the Race Course Masjid be demolished?
The Centre has told the court no coercive action will be taken until the Waqf Board’s representation is decided, within four weeks.
Can worshippers offer Namaz there now?
No. The court declined to order access for now because of safety concerns.
When is the next hearing?
December 16, 2026.
Source: ANI — https://aninews.in/news/national/general-news/no-demolition-of-race-course-masjid-till-waqf-board8217s-representation-is-decided-centre-tells-delhi-hc-no-relief-for-offering-namaz20261029133528/; PTI via ThePrint — https://theprint.in/india/delhi-hc-refuses-access-to-race-course-mosque-for-prayers/3085002/
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