Rajasthan: One-day eviction notices served to mosques, madrasas in Barmer

Barmer: Several mosques and madrasas in Barmer district were served eviction notices that gave committees less than a day to respond, rights groups and local representatives said on Thursday.

The notices, dated June 11, were reportedly issued on the evening of June 17 and required mosque and madrasa managements either to vacate the premises or appear before the tehsil office on June 18 to justify their presence. Committee members said the short notice left them little time to gather documents, seek legal assistance or prepare their cases.

Rajasthan’s Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) condemned the move as a breach of due process. APCR Rajasthan president Advocate Syed Saadat Ali said affected parties must be afforded a fair and reasonable opportunity to be heard before any adverse action is taken and called the one-day deadline “a clear violation of due process.”

The rights group argued that the notices contradict constitutional protections, citing Articles 14, 21, 25 and 26, which cover equality before the law, protection of life and personal liberty, and freedoms of conscience and religion. APCR referred to Supreme Court precedents that, it said, require proper notice and reasonable time for affected parties to approach courts and present their arguments before evictions or demolitions proceed.

APCR urged authorities to halt eviction proceedings pending judicial review and demanded transparency and adherence to legal procedures to safeguard communal harmony. The association warned it would support mosque and madrasa committees in pursuing legal remedies if unilateral enforcement actions were taken.

Requests for comment from district administration officials were not immediately answered.