In Brief
The Waqf Board of Rajasthan challenged a High Court order allowing a mining company to remove a dilapidated structure on its leased mining area. The Board claimed the structure was the 'Tiranga Ki Qalandari Masjid,' a registered waqf (religious endowment). The Supreme Court held that a waqf requires proof of permanent dedication and actual use. Here, the structure sat on a different survey number than the leased land, showed no signs of being used as a mosque, lacked facilities for prayer, and experts confirmed no archaeological value. Without evidence of dedication or use, a dilapidated wall cannot gain waqf status. The Court dismissed the Board's appeals and upheld the company's right to proceed with mining.
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