Supreme Court upholds partial demolition of 400-year-old Ahmedabad mosque for road widening project

The Supreme Court on Friday, October 17, 2025, upheld the Gujarat High Court’s decision allowing partial demolition of the over 400-year-old Mancha Masjid complex in Ahmedabad to facilitate the road widening project and held that the measure was taken in public interest and did not violate the right to religious freedom.

The Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi noted that only a portion of the vacant land and the adjacent platform will be cleared, while the main structure of the mosque will remain untouched. The court also observed that a temple, a commercial unit and a residential building were similarly earmarked for demolition as part of the same urban project.

“Considering the firm stand of the state authorities and the Supreme Court’s decision to demolish only part of the vacant land and a platform, we see no reason to interfere with the order, especially considering that a temple, a commercial and residential property has also been earmarked for demolition for road widening,” the Bench said in its verdict.

However, the Court left open the question of whether the site qualifies as a site. foundation He clarified that the matter could be decided in appropriate proceedings for the purpose of determining compensation.

The Court also observed that Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, did not apply in the present case, as the dispute mainly concerned property and compensation. “Oh bona fide “The public interest for the benefit of the entire city is beyond any doubt,” he said.

Lawyer Warisha Farasat, speaking on behalf of the Mancha Masjid Trust, disputed the state’s claim that the mosque would not be affected. She stressed that it was a 400-year-old heritage structure and urged the Bench to protect the prayer hall. “Since it is a 400-year-old building, the place of worship needs to be protected,” he said.

Ms Farasat also argued that the municipal authority’s decision did not promote any genuine public interest and was therefore arbitrary. He claimed that the mosque, registered with the Mancha Masjid Foundation, was under protection. foundation property.

Rejecting these allegations, the Board reiterated that the mosque structure will remain intact. “They (the municipal authorities) also dismantled a temple, a commercial property and a residential building, which is an extremely challenging matter. All this is happening for the betterment of the city,” the court said, adding that the petitioners’ complaints were ultimately about compensation.

The Division Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices AS Supehia and LS Pirzada, in its order dated October 3, had refused to restrain the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation from carrying out partial demolitions near the mosque in Saraspur. The Supreme Court had held that the procedure under the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949 was duly followed and other religious, residential and commercial properties were also affected by the road widening project.

“We have noticed that due to widening of the road, a large number of properties, including commercial properties, residential properties and temples, have also been included in the demolition,” the Supreme Court said.

Believed to have been built during the Mughal period, Mancha Masjid is considered an important religious and cultural landmark for the local Muslim community. It has undergone many renovations over the centuries and is officially registered with the Mancha Masjid Foundation.