Women's entry into Nizamuddin Dargah: Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, Delhi govt; next hearing on April 11

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and the Delhi government in connection with a plea seeking entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah in the national capital.

According to ANI, a notice was also issued to the trust which manages the Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah here.

The high court also posted the matter for next hearing on April 11.

Next date of hearing is 11 April, 2019. https://t.co/ehUOhyg34h — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2018

The court passed the order while responding to a PIL seeking court's intervention in the matter filed by female law students from Pune. 

The petition claimed that a notice was put up outside the Dargah -  a shrine built over the grave of a religious figure -  restricting women’s entry while they were visiting the Dargah on November 27.

The plea sought directions to the Centre, Delhi government, Delhi Police and the trust managing the shrine, to frame guidelines ensuring entry of women into the Dargah and declaring the bar as “unconstitutional”.

The petition claimed that the law students tried to reach out to authorities over the matter, including the Delhi Police but decided to move the court after not receiving any response.

In their plea the women contended that Nizamuddin Dargah is a public place and prohibiting women from entering into a shrine is ''gender discrimination'' and thus highly unconstitutional.

The plea further cited the example of two major Muslim shrines - Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai and Khwaja Moinuddin Dargah in Ajmer - which don't restrict the entry of women.

(With Agency inputs)