The Supreme Court is set to consider a plea from the Muslim side challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s ruling on the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque conflict in Dhar district. Scheduled for Wednesday, the Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will review the Special Leave Petition filed by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society. The plea questions the High Court’s decision to inspect the disputed site before the next hearing, following a report by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The Muslim side argues in their petition that they were not given sufficient opportunity to respond to the ASI’s report, which the High Court relied on. The High Court had earlier decided to visit the Bhojshala complex due to the contentious nature of the dispute, with a directive for all parties to submit objections and responses to the ASI’s findings by April 2. The ASI’s survey suggested the structure had elements of a temple, a claim disputed by the Muslim side, leading to conflicting narratives over the historical identity of the site.
In a previous order, the Supreme Court had allowed both communities to practice their religious rituals at the location, with specific guidelines. While Hindu worship was permitted without time constraints, Friday prayers were restricted to a designated area from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The apex court emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and cooperation between the two groups to ensure law and order, outlining a balanced approach to religious practices at the disputed Bhojshala complex.
