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Sambhal Court Postpones Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar Temple Case Amid Supreme Court Stay

Sambhal hearing postponed after Muslim side cites Supreme Court stay; earlier surveys triggered unrest.

On May 19, the high court upheld the trial court’s order permitting a court-monitored survey and directed proceedings to continue. Representative Image/Getty Images
Summary
  • Chandausi court defers Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar temple dispute hearing to August 28.

  • Muslim side cited pending Supreme Court stay, delaying proceedings, PTI reported.

  • Previous court-monitored surveys in Sambhal sparked unrest, causing four deaths and 29 police injuries.

A court in Chandausi has deferred the hearing of the ongoing Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar temple dispute to August 28. The matter was listed before Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh on Thursday.

According to PTI, the advocate representing the Hindu side, Shri Shri Gopal Sharma, said the opposing party filed an application claiming that since the case is pending in the Supreme Court, the Chandausi court did not have jurisdiction to hear it. The court accordingly postponed the matter to August 28.

The Muslim side has challenged the maintainability of the case in the Allahabad High Court. On May 19, the high court upheld the trial court’s order permitting a court-monitored survey and directed proceedings to continue.

Shahi Jama Masjid’s advocate, Qasim Jamal, told reporters that the application cited a judgment related to the Worship Act, adding that until the Supreme Court hears the case, no other court should take up religious matters. “Neither any case can be heard nor any action can be taken while the Supreme Court’s order is pending and a stay has been imposed until the next hearing,” he said. Jamal further stated that holding a hearing at this stage would violate Supreme Court guidelines. The trial court directed that any objection should be filed by August 28.

The dispute dates back to 19 November last year, when Hindu petitioners, including advocates Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain, filed a suit in the Sambhal district court claiming that the mosque was constructed over a pre-existing temple. A court-ordered survey was conducted on the same day, followed by a second survey on 24 November.

According to PTI, the second survey led to unrest in Sambhal, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to 29 police personnel. Police registered an FIR against 2,750 unidentified persons and booked SP MP Ziaur Rahman Barq and mosque committee head Zafar Ali in connection with the violence.

(With inputs from PTI)

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