Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah case: Allahabad HC grants time to plaintiffs, adjourns hearing

Prayagraj: While granting time to plaintiffs in various suits, the Allahabad High Court on Friday adjourned hearing in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute at Mathura and fixed September 12 for the next hearing.

The controversy is related to the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb-era Shahi Eidgah mosque at Mathura, which is alleged to have been built after demolishing a temple at the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

Justice Ram Manohar Narain Mishra on Friday granted time to the plaintiffs in various suits on the application moved by the Muslim side to the effect that, after the order of the high court allowing the application and treating suit no. 17 as the representative suit, the hearing of other suits should be stayed.

The high court on July 18 allowed an application moved by the plaintiff in suit number 17 to treat his plaint as the representative one of all other suits in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute.

It was decided through that order that suit number 17 will be treated as the representative suit and will be heard and decided first.

Passing the order, the court said that the plaintiff may make necessary amendments in this regard.

In suit number 17, an application under Order 1 Rule 8 was moved, saying the suit be treated in a representative capacity for all the suits.

Senior advocate Taslima Naseem, appearing on behalf of the Muslim side, said that the proceedings of other suits be stayed after this order. She further said that whatever order will be passed now in suit no. 17 should be binding on other suits.

The Hindu side has filed 18 suits for the possession of land after the removal of the Shahi Idgah masjid structure as well as for the restoration of the temple and for permanent injunction.

At one stage, on August 1 last year, the high court had rejected applications of the Muslim side, which challenged the maintainability of suits of Hindu worshippers. The court held that all suits of the Hindu worshippers were maintainable and these suits were not barred by the Limitation Act, the Waqf Act and the Places of Worship Act, 1991.

Later on October 23, 2024, the high court rejected an application moved by the Shahi Idgah mosque committee to recall the high court's January 11, 2024 order consolidating all suits filed in connection with the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute.

In May 2023, the high court transferred all 18 suits, which were related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah title dispute case and were pending before the Mathura court, to itself.