SC no to status quo order on demolished mosques

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to order status quo on the demolition of mosques, dargahs and other structures allegedly built on government land at Gir Somnath in Gujarat.

A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan declined to interfere with the ongoing demolition action of state authorities after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said on behalf of Gujarat Government that the illegal structures stood on government land and there was nothing in the name of petitioner Auliya-e-Deen Committee. As senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing a Muslim party, said the properties were on the Waqf land and urged the court to direct the government not to create any third party rights, the government said the land in question would remain with it till the next date of hearing.