SC Defers Krishna Janmabhoomi Dispute Hearing

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred hearing on a plea in the Krishna Janmabhoomi–Shahi Idgah mosque dispute after being informed that Hindu parties were holding discussions among themselves on identifying the lead case.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva posted the matter for August 12 after counsel for one of the Hindu parties said off-the-record talks were under way between the plaintiffs.

The apex court was hearing a plea challenging a 2025 Allahabad High Court order that treated another Hindu party, in a separate suit, as the representative of all devotees of Lord Krishna.

During the hearing, the bench asked advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for some Hindu parties, and advocate P.V. Yogeswaran, appearing for another group, whether discussions were ongoing. “We will adjourn the matter, if something is going on between the parties,” Justice Kumar said.

Yogeswaran submitted that the parties did not want the court to record the talks, stating that these were off the record. Justice Kumar noted that the matter had been adjourned several times earlier and said it could be deferred again only if discussions were in progress. “We are not going to bind the parties to the talks. If something is going on, then it can be recorded in the order also. What's the harm in it? Anyway,” the court said while adjourning the matter.

The apex court is seized of multiple petitions filed by both the mosque committee and Hindu parties against various orders, including a challenge to the May 26, 2023 order of the High Court transferring to itself all cases related to the dispute pending before a Mathura court.

On July 18 last year, the High Court allowed a Hindu party, which had filed a separate suit seeking removal of the Shahi Idgah mosque from the disputed site, to be treated as the representative of all devotees. It had allowed an application in suit number 17 of 2023 to treat it as the representative suit to be heard first.

An aggrieved Hindu party moved the Supreme Court, contending that his suit had earlier been treated as the lead case after transfer of all civil suits to the high court, and that the court erred in designating another party as the representative.

The bench had earlier indicated that the issue required detailed examination and had asked parties to be prepared for arguments.

The dispute pertains to claims by the Hindu side that the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura was built during the Mughal period at the site believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

More than 20 civil suits related to the dispute, originally filed in a Mathura court, are currently pending adjudication before the Allahabad High Court.