A division bench comprising Justice M Venugopal and Justice S Vaidyanathan passed the order while disposing a plea seeking The Nilgiris Collector and RDO, Gudalur Taluk, to prevent one Yousuf, his men, agents, servants, representatives, henchmen or any other person on behalf of him from constructing the proposed mosque-cum-madrasa in MGR Nagar at Gudalur. 

The bench, on recording the submission that pursuant to the direction issued by the Collector and the RDO, apart from the foundation work, no other work is being carried on, said, “This court makes it clear that unless and until there is a sanctioned plan, no construction shall be allowed to be permitted by the authorities.” 

“In view of the same and that as the stop-work notice has also been issued by the authorities, there shall be no construction of mosque-cum-madrasa, in violation of the statutory provisions of law,” the bench held. 

The bench also held, “If there is any violation by the respondent, it is open for the authorities to take appropriate steps to proceed against them.” “It is further made clear as resolved in the peace-committee-meeting between the representatives of both the religious people (Hindu and Muslims) held on May 28, 2017, and the authorities, including police personnel, there shall not be any construction, much less the mosque-cum-madrasa, in the disputed place by the members of the Muslim community,” the bench added.