The Supreme Court on Friday halted the demolition of some structures located within 50 kms of the India-Pakistan border, reported Live Law.

Refusing to entertain the plea filed by eight petitioners, a bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe told them to file an appeal in the Rajasthan High Court.

On Monday, the Rajasthan High Court dismissed the petitions challenging the proposed demolition of several mosques, dargahs and madrasas in the border area.

The Union government’s decision to enhance the territorial jurisdiction and operational powers of the Border Security Force showed a well-calibrated approach to address security challenges, the bench was quoted as saying.

As the structures were near the border, there was a need for heightened vigilance and regulatory oversight, the bench added.

Nearly 40 persons affected by the Union government’s demolition order had moved the Supreme Court against the High Court judgement, reported The Hindu.

The petition was filed after a fact-finding visit undertaken by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, according to the newspaper. This followed the demolition of at least four mosques in the border districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer in June.

On Friday, the Supreme Court told the petitioners to move the High Court within two weeks.

“It is made clear that we have not examined the matter and we are not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case,” the bench was quoted as saying by Live Law. “It is for the High Court to consider the petitions on their own merits.”

The demolition of several mosques and dargahs in Rajasthan, among other states, had sparked a political row in June, with Opposition leaders alleging that Muslim places of worship were being targeted.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi said on June 21 that he had been informed by his party’s Bikaner unit that four mosques in the district had been demolished. Nine mosques and dargahs in Phalodi, Jaisalmer and Barmer had also been demolished, he added. All three districts are along the border with Pakistan.

Opposition leaders, including Owaisi and the Congress’ Ashok Gehlot, alleged that the demolitions disproportionately target Muslim religious sites.

Owaisi had claimed on social media that notices have been issued to hundreds of other religious sites, including the 250-year-old shrine of Hazrat Mahmood Shah Jilani in Jaisalmer.

Gehlot had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan of targeting “historical religious sites that are several decades old” as part of “this coercive action”.

Edited by Sneha.