The Gujarat High Court on Friday issued a contempt notice to former Junagadh Municipal Commissioner Om Prakash and Senior Town Planner Vivek Kiran Parekh for allegedly acting in defiance of a Supreme Court order and a state government policy by demolishing an old dargah in April.

The court asked the officials to respond to the notice by July 28, when the matter will be heard next.

The Jok Alisha Dargah in Junagadh was demolished on April 17 despite a pending legal case and submissions by the dargah’s trustee citing the site’s historical and religious significance, The Indian Express reported. The shrine is claimed to be 300 years old.

A division bench of Justices AS Supehia and RT Vachhani observed that the civic officials appeared to have acted in violation of the Supreme Court’s 2018 order regarding the handling of unauthorised religious structures as well as a subsequent policy of the state government.

The High Court pointed out that the Supreme Court had ordered that no unauthorised religious structure should be allowed on public property and that existing ones should be reviewed on case-by-case basis. A 2024 state government policy requires officials to form committees and appoint nodal officers to handle such cases properly, the petitioner had argued.

Despite this, the senior town planner issued a notice on January 31, demanding documents to prove the shrine’s ownership within three days. The petitioner had submitted the records on February 3 along with references to the 2018 Supreme Court order and pending proceedings before the High Court.

A final notice was issued on April 9, asking for the removal of the structure within five days. The trustee responded to the notice on April 15, reiterating the historical value of the shrine.

However, the structure was demolished on April 17.

The court was hearing a contempt plea filed by the shrine’s trustee under the 1971 Contempt of Courts Act.

The dargah, located at Gandhi Chowk, is registered under the Gujarat State Waqf Board. It was registered in 1964, the petitioner said.

“Further, annual Urs celebrations have also been held with prior permissions, including the use of loudspeakers,” The Indian Express quoted the petition as saying.

According to the plea, the Junagadh civic body ignored the Supreme Court’s directive and a pending civil petition before the High Court while proceeding with the demolition.