The Supreme Court on Monday scheduled a hearing for January 2025 concerning the ongoing legal dispute involving the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and the Shahi Masjid Idgah. A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar decided to take up the matter after the winter vacation following a brief hearing.
The case involves multiple petitions related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Masjid Idgah issue, with the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah challenging an order from the Allahabad High Court. The High Court had previously dismissed the mosque committee’s objection to the maintainability of several lawsuits filed by Hindu devotees. These lawsuits claim that the Shahi Masjid Idgah is situated at the birthplace of Lord Krishna, and thus, demand rights over the site.
The mosque management committee has appealed to the Supreme Court, questioning the August 1 judgment by the Allahabad High Court, which rejected the mosque committee’s applications under Order VII Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) that sought to dismiss the suits filed by the Hindu plaintiffs. The committee argued that the High Court combined pleadings from various suits into a “new composite suit,” which they deemed an error in judgment. The petition filed by the mosque committee, through advocates Mehmood Pracha and RHA Sikander, also seeks interim relief to stay the High Court’s order.
The legal proceedings stem from over 15 lawsuits filed by different plaintiffs, asserting competing claims over the Shahi Masjid Idgah, which they argue is located on the site of Lord Krishna’s birthplace, also known as Krishna Janmabhoomi. The mosque was allegedly built in 1669-70 by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb on the land of Katra Keshav Dev temple.
In a related case, Ranjana Agnihotri, a resident of Lucknow, has filed a suit in the Mathura District Court seeking ownership of 13.37 acres of land associated with Krishna Janmabhoomi and the removal of the Shahi Masjid Idgah. The dispute centers around the historical and religious significance of the land in Mathura.
The Supreme Court’s hearing on this matter is scheduled for January 2025, which will address key legal questions surrounding the competing claims and the overall future of the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Masjid Idgah issue.