The Supreme Court today heard a petition challenging the trial court’s direction to survey the royal Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. CJI Sanjeev Khanna’s bench has put an interim stay on the survey order of the district court. The Supreme Court ordered the trial court not to take the case further until the Shahi Idgah Committee of Sambhal Masjid goes to the High Court.
Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represented the Hindu side on the Sambhal dispute case, said, “The Supreme Court has asked the mosque committee to approach the High Court. The court also said that until they go to the High Court and the case is listed, the proceedings of the trial court will be stayed…”
The Supreme Court has asked the management committee of Sambhal to approach the High Court against the order of the lower court in the Shahi Idgah Mosque case. During the hearing, the CJI said, we do not want anything to happen until he goes to the High Court. The lower court will not implement its order. CJI said that we are not doing anything on the merit of the case. Told the Shahi Masjid Management Committee to go to the High Court. No action will be taken in this case in the lower court before January 8. Till then the Shahi Masjid Committee should not file a petition in the Supreme Court.
A situation of tension has persisted ever since Jama Masjid was surveyed for the first time on November 19 on the orders of a court in Sambhal. The court gave this order on a petition in which it has been claimed that there was once a Harihar temple at the place where Jama Masjid is located. Violence broke out during the re-survey of the mosque on November 24 and four people were killed and 25 others were injured in clashes between protesters and police. The commission has been directed to complete its investigation within two months of the issue of the notification and approval will have to be taken from the government to extend the deadline.
