The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on a series of petitions related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Masjid dispute. A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna announced that the matter will now be taken up during the week commencing April 1, 2025.
In the meantime, the court extended the operation of its earlier interim order, issued on January 16, 2024. This order had stayed the execution of a commission appointed to inspect the disputed premises. The stay was granted in response to a plea by the Shahi Idgah Masjid Management Committee, which challenged an Allahabad High Court decision allowing Hindu devotees to seek the appointment of a commissioner to survey the site.
During earlier hearings, the Supreme Court had instructed all parties to complete pleadings and file written submissions not exceeding three pages, along with judgments they intended to rely on. The court, however, clarified that trial proceedings before the Allahabad High Court could continue.
The dispute stems from multiple suits filed in Mathura courts claiming that the Shahi Eidgah complex was constructed on the land believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, where a temple once stood. In January 2024, the Allahabad High Court directed that all 15 suits filed by the Hindu side be consolidated into a single proceeding for the sake of efficiency.
Recently, the Supreme Court addressed a plea filed by the Shahi Eidgah Masjid Management Committee challenging the consolidation of these suits by the High Court. CJI Khanna remarked, “Why should we intervene in the issue of consolidation of suits? It doesn’t make a difference. It is to the benefit of both sides, so multiple proceedings are avoided.”
The Supreme Court is also hearing a plea from the mosque management committee contesting the Allahabad High Court’s decision to transfer all suits to itself. The committee has expressed concerns over the implications of this move, but the CJI-led bench noted that the consolidation of cases was in the “interest of justice” and aimed to streamline proceedings.
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