Budaun court to tell if it will hear plea over existence of temple at Jama Masjid Shamsi mosque site on Jan 18

Budaun (UP): A court will on January 18 decide whether it will hear a plea claiming the existence of Neelkanth temple at the Jama Masjid Shamsi mosque site in Budaun.

Civil judge (senior sivision) Amit Kumar posted the matter of January 18, 2025 when it will decide whether the matter would be heard or not, advocate Ved Prakash Sahu, representing the Hindu side said on December 23.

Lawyers from both sides had put forth their respective sides on December 17.

The lawyer said the court did not pass any decision and fixed January 18 as the date owing to the ensuing district bar association elections.

The dispute started in 2022 when Mukesh Patel, the then convener of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, claimed the temple existed at the mosque site and sought permission to worship in the structure.

On December 12, the Supreme Court restrained all the courts in the country from entertaining and passing any effective interim or final orders on any lawsuits seeking reliefs including survey of religious places under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.

The direction of a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan came on a batch of pleas and cross pleas relating to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.

The Jama Masjid Shamsi is built on an elevated area called Sotha Mohalla and is considered the highest structure in the town of Budaun. It is also believed to be the third oldest existing and seventh largest mosque in the country with a capacity to accommodate 23,500 people.