The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the stay on the Allahabad High Court verdict ordering a survey of the Shahi Eidgah Mosque by a Court Commissioner.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Viswanathan recorded in its order that the interim stay order would continue, while listing the matter for further hearing in the week commencing April 1, 2025.
The Apex Court passed the order on appeals filed by the Shahi Eidgah Mosque Committee.
One of the petitions challenged the Allahabad High Court verdict of January 2024, which consolidated all 15 suits filed by Hindu parties raising claims over the mosque at Mathura.
Another petition filed by the Committee challenged the December 2023 order of the High Court, appointing a Court Commissioner to conduct a survey of the Shahi Eidgah mosque.
The top court of the country was also seized with the challenge to the Allahabad High Court, which dismissed the plea of the Shahi Idgah Masjid Committee filed under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC.
The petition challenged the maintainability of 18 suits filed by the deity and Hindu worshippers seeking the removal of the Shahi Idgah. The mosque committee argued that the Places of Worship Act barred the suits.
On January 10, the Apex Court had refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court order, which clubbed all suits relating to the matter.
The Counsel appearing for the Mosque Committee submitted that since all the suits clubbed together were not of the same nature, this would lead to complications.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, however, orally observed that the consolidation would benefit both the Hindu and Muslim sides.
The matter pertained to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb-era Shahi Eidgah mosque situated in Mathura, which was alleged to have been built after demolishing a temple at the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
In 1968, a ‘compromise agreement’ was brokered between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, the temple management authority and the Trust Shahi Masjid Eidgah, allowing both places of worship to operate simultaneously.