A late-night bulldozer operation near Delhi’s historic Ramlila Maidan has ignited a high-stakes legal and political confrontation, pitting the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) against the Delhi Waqf Board and the Land & Development Office (L&DO).

The controversial action, carried out on the night of January 6, followed months of complaints, surveys and court hearings over alleged encroachments on public land. ABP News has learned that the dispute traces its roots to a complaint filed by an NGO, Save India Foundation, which set off a chain of administrative and legal developments now under scrutiny in the Delhi High Court.

How The Dispute Began

The controversy began when Save India Foundation lodged a complaint with the MCD, alleging large-scale illegal construction and commercial use of public land adjoining Ramlila Maidan. Acting on the complaint, the L&DO, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and MCD conducted a joint survey on October 16, 2025.

The survey revealed that 2,512 square feet of Public Works Department land and adjoining footpaths had been encroached upon. It also found that 36,428 square feet of land within the Ramlila Maidan complex, originally licensed by the L&DO to the MCD, was being used for non-permitted commercial activities, including a banquet hall, vehicle parking and a diagnostic centre. Officials concluded that land meant for public use was being misused, constituting a serious violation.

High Court Steps In, Ownership Claims Collide

Following the survey, Save India Foundation moved the Delhi High Court. On November 12, 2025, the court directed the MCD to remove illegal encroachments within three months, while ensuring all stakeholders were given a fair hearing.

The first hearing before the MCD was held on November 24 under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner (Land & Estate). Representatives from the Faiz Ilahi Mosque management committee, the Delhi Waqf Board, DDA and L&DO were present. During the proceedings, L&DO maintained that the disputed land was never transferred to the Waqf Board. The mosque management committee and the Waqf Board sought additional time to produce ownership documents.

At the second hearing on December 16, which also included the tehsildar, the mosque management committee claimed that the Dargah Faiz-e-Ilahi was more than a century old and existed even before Independence, along with a mosque and graveyard. The land, they argued, qualified as “waqf by user” and did not require separate documentation. The Waqf Board cited records from 1940, asserting ownership over 0.195 acres.

The L&DO, however, acknowledged only that 0.195 acres were linked to the Waqf, based on a sale deed dated February 15, 1940.

MCD’s Conclusion And Bulldozer Action

After reviewing submissions from all sides, the MCD concluded that in 1959, the L&DO had licensed 30 acres of land to the civic body for use as Ramlila Maidan at a nominal fee of Re 1. Officials said no document established that the disputed land beyond 0.195 acres belonged to the Waqf Board. Even a 1970 Gazette notification, they noted, did not support claims over the additional area.

The MCD ruled that the banquet hall and diagnostic centre amounted to misuse of public land and declared all constructions beyond the verified 0.195 acres illegal and liable for removal.

On January 6, 2026, the Delhi High Court heard the matter again, issuing notices to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the MCD and the Delhi Waqf Board after observing that the petition was maintainable. However, no status quo order was granted to the mosque management committee.

Later that night, the MCD launched the demolition drive under heavy police and paramilitary deployment. As bulldozers reached the site, hundreds gathered near the dargah, leading to stone-pelting. Security forces fired tear gas shells, sealed access roads and cordoned off the area, including narrow lanes, before proceeding with the encroachment removal.