SAVE INDIA FOUNDATION (REGD.) vs MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF DELHI & ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on:- 18.02.2026 Date of Decision:- 23 .02.2026 + W.P.(C) 2278/2026 & CM APPLs. 11030-31/2026 SAVE INDIA FOUNDATION (REGD.) .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Umesh Chandra Sharma and Mr. Vikas Sharma, Mr. Yogesh Aggarwal, Mr. Neeraj Chauhan, Mr. Mohit Kumar, Ms. Khushbu Khatri, Mr. Lalit Goyal, Ms. Preeti Singh and Mr. Subhash Pal, Advs. versus MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF DELHI & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Manu Chaturvedi, S.C. with Mr. Ahmed Jamal Siddiqui, Mr. K. K. Rai, Mr. Madhav Tripathi, Advs. for MCD. Mr. Sayed Abdul Haseeb, CGSC with Mr. Varun Pratap Singh, GP for UOI Ms. Shobhana Takiar, S.C. with Mr.Kuljeet Singh, Adv. for DDA. Mr. Sanjoy Ghose, Sr. Adv. with Ms.Farahat Jahan Rehmani, ASC, Mr.Firoz I. Khan, Mr. I. Ahmed, Mr.R. Mandal, Ms. M. Ali, Ms.Nazma, Advs. for R-5. CORAM: HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA JUDGMENT Signature Not Verified Digiltally Signed W.P.(C) 2278/2026 Page 1 of 21 By:SREERAM L Signing Date:23.02.2026 16:55:59 DEVENDRA KUMAR UPADHYAYA, C.J. 1. The petitioner, which is a Trust registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, has invoked our jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, by instituting this petition purportedly in public interest through its Authorised person/Trustee – Sh. Preet Singh, whereby a notification dated 24.03.1980 issued by the Delhi Wakf Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Wakf Board”), which was published in the official Gazette of Delhi on 10.04.1980, has been challenged. 2. By the said notification issued under Section 5(2) of the Muslim Wakfs Act, 1954 (hereinafter referred to as the “Act, 1954”), certain wakf properties existing in the then Union Territory of Delhi have been published. The challenge to the said li