Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Appeals on Bhojshala Dispute

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear appeals from the Muslim community challenging a ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which designated the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar district as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. This development marks a new chapter in the long-standing Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque controversy. Senior advocates Huzaifa Ahmadi and Nizam Pasha, representing the Muslim appellants, urged the bench comprising Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohan to expedite the hearing on this matter.

The Chief Justice advised the appellants' lawyers to rectify the deficiencies in their petitions and assured that these cases would be presented before a bench for a prompt hearing. On May 15, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex is a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The court also annulled a decades-old order from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that permitted the Muslim community to conduct Friday prayers at this site. Furthermore, the court stated that the central government and ASI could jointly decide on the administration and management of the Bhojshala complex.

This site, protected under ASI, is regarded by the Hindu community as the 'Bhojshala' temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while the Muslim side refers to the 11th-century structure as the 'Kamal Maula Mosque.' Following the High Court's decision, the Muslim community approached the Supreme Court. Hindu groups have also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, requesting that no orders be issued regarding the Bhojshala complex dispute without hearing their side. The case is now awaiting listing in the Supreme Court, where the Muslim side has challenged the High Court's ruling, while Hindu groups are seeking a hearing before any orders are passed.