Plea filed in SC against Patna HC order on demolition of Waqf building in Patna

Patna (Bihar) [India], August 31 : The Bihar State Sunni Waqf Board has approached the Supreme Court challenging a verdict of the Patna High Court that has ordered the demolition of the Waqf building adjacent to High Court 'Centenary Building'.
The High Court on August 3 had ordered the demolition of the Waqf building adjacent to the High Court 'Centenary Building' within a month while holding the construction as illegal as per Bihar Building Bye-laws, 2014.
Upon noting the structure being constructed in the close proximity of the Centenary Building of the High Court, the High Court on March 1 this year took suo motu cognizance of the issue.
The High Court had also ordered the Bihar government to form an inquiry commission to fix responsibility on those government officials who permitted the illegal construction of the building.
Approaching the top court, the Sunni Waqf Board said that the High Court ordered the demolition of the entire structure of the proposed Waqf Bhawan Building solely due to the reason that the building was in excess of 10 meters of height which was in violation of Bye-Laws.
Despite Waqf Board as well as all the state authorities had agreed to demolish the offending portion of the building (excess of 10 meters of height of the building), the High Court gave direction for the demolition, the plea was submitted.
It added that the construction plans were approved by the Minority Welfare Department, government of Bihar, and the map and plan of construction was approved by the senior architect of the Bihar State Building Construction Corporation, which is a government Company, therefore no separate sanction was required from the Patna Municipal Corporation.