Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Masjid dispute: SC adjourns hearing till Nov

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on a clutch of petitions pertaining to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Masjid dispute. 

A Bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna decided to post the matter for further hearing in the first week of November.

The apex court in the meantime, extended the operation of the interim order passed on January 16, whereby the top court had stayed the execution of the commission on a plea filed by the Shahi Idgah Masjid Management Committee against the Allahabad High Court allowing the application filed by Hindu devotees for appointment of a commissioner to inspect the disputed premises.

The Bench, also comprising Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, remarked that it would require time to go through the recent order passed by the Allahabad High Court upholding the maintainability of civil suits filed by Hindu worshippers.

In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had asked parties to complete the pleadings in the matter and directed filing of written submissions not exceeding three pages along with the judgments being relied on by them.

However, it had clarified that the trial proceedings pending before the High Court could continue.

The top court is also seized of a plea filed by the mosque committee challenging the transfer of suits by the High Court to itself.

Multiple suits seeking various reliefs were filed in different courts of Mathura with a common claim that the Eidgah complex was built on the land believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna and where a temple had existed.