Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations allowed at Hubballi Idgah: Karnataka HC
PremiumKarnataka HC upheld Dharwad municipal commissioner's order allowing Ganesh Chaturthi festival at Hubballi Idgah maidan.
The Karnataka High Court, in a late-night hearing on August 30, upheld a Dharwad municipal commissioner's decision to permit the Ganesh Chaturthi festival to be staged at the Hubballi Idgah maidan. Anjuman-e-Islam merely held a 999-year lease on the property at a rent of Rs. 1 per year, according to Justice Ashok S. Kinagi's ruling. The property actually belonged to the Dharwad municipality.
The case had been heard by the court earlier that day. Anjuman-e-Islam contested the order of the municipal commissioner in court. The Supreme Court was hearing arguments about whether or not the festival should be permitted at Bengaluru's Chamrajpet Idgah Maidan while the court had approved the commissioner's order.
The property in question, according to Anjuman-e-Islam, is protected by the Places of Worship Act of 1991, which states that no religious place of worship can be converted. According to the high court, the disputed property was not a house of worship and was only permitted to be used for prayers during Bakrid and Ramadan. It served as a parking lot and a market at different points in time.
The high court ruled that this case did not fall under the Supreme Court's ruling maintaining the status quo at Bengaluru Chamrajpet Ground. The court emphasised that the Hubballi ground belongs to the municipality, which Anjuman-e-Islam has already recognised, in contrast to the Chamrajpet problem, which includes a dispute over land ownership.
It had stated that the Benglauru Idgah issue could be brought up in front of it if a Supreme Court decision had been made about it. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival that was scheduled to be observed by the state government had to be postponed after the supreme court ruled status quo in the Bengaluru case.
The Hubballi case brought up the issue. At ten o'clock at night, Justice Kinagi held a hearing in his official chamber. At 11.15 p.m., after hearing from the parties and the state government counsel, he dictated the orders.
(With PTI inputs)
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