The Supreme Court has granted interim relief to the Muslim community by directing that they be provided a separate open space adjacent to the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar for Friday prayers between 1 and 3 pm, pending the final outcome of appeals against the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 15 verdict which declared the site a Hindu temple. The apex court, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, also ordered that any alterations to the complex by the Archaeological Survey of India require Supreme Court permission and emphasized the need to preserve peace, noting the sensitivity of the dispute and the potential for law-and-order issues. This interim measure is ad hoc and without prejudice to the rights of either party, as the Court prepares to hear the appeals challenging the High Court's decision, which had previously quashed a 2003 order allowing Muslim prayers and directed the Muslim side to seek an alternative mosque site.

The Supreme Court has granted interim relief to the Muslim community by directing that they be provided a separate open space adjacent to the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar for Friday prayers between 1 and 3 pm, pending the final outcome of appeals against the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 15 verdict which declared the site a Hindu temple. The apex court, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, also ordered that any alterations to the complex by the Archaeological Survey of India require Supreme Court permission and emphasized the need to preserve peace, noting the sensitivity of the dispute and the potential for law-and-order issues. This interim measure is ad hoc and without prejudice to the rights of either party, as the Court prepares to hear the appeals challenging the High Court's decision, which had previously quashed a 2003 order allowing Muslim prayers and directed the Muslim side to seek an alternative mosque site.

The Supreme Court has granted interim relief to the Muslim community by directing that they be provided a separate open space adjacent to the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar for Friday prayers between 1 and 3 pm, pending the final outcome of appeals against the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 15 verdict which declared the site a Hindu temple. The apex court, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, also ordered that any alterations to the complex by the Archaeological Survey of India require Supreme Court permission and emphasized the need to preserve peace, noting the sensitivity of the dispute and the potential for law-and-order issues. This interim measure is ad hoc and without prejudice to the rights of either party, as the Court prepares to hear the appeals challenging the High Court's decision, which had previously quashed a 2003 order allowing Muslim prayers and directed the Muslim side to seek an alternative mosque site.

In a major relief for the Muslim side, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that Muslims be provided a separate open space adjacent to the disputed Bhojshala site for offering namaz on Fridays between 1 and 3 pm. The interim relief from the apex court came in the plea filed challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 15 verdict declaring the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar as a Hindu temple.

The verdict was issued by a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and  Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.  “As an interim measure and without prejudice to the rights of both sides, it is directed that a separate open space adjacent or near to the site is provided to the appellants (Muslims) for offering namaz on Fridays between 1 and 3 pm. List the case before a Bench assigned by the CJI. The arrangement shall be ad hoc in nature, subject to the final outcome," the Court ordered.

The bench also directed that any alterations made to the complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should only be made with the permission of the Supreme Court.

The appeals challenged the High Court verdict of May 15, which said the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar district was a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. This verdict came on a batch of pleas filed seeking to reclaim the Bhojshala complex, which also housed the Kamal Maula Mosque, for Hindus and to prohibit Muslims from offering namaz in its premises.

The High Court also quashed an order passed by the ASI in 2003 by which Muslims had been granted permission to hold prayers at the site. The High Court also instructed the Muslim side to apply to the State for an alternative site for the construction of a mosque.

The CJI on Tuesday also made a series of oral observations stressing the need to preserve peace. He said that passing any order could create a a law-and-order problem "at this juncture” and said the court was willing to hear the matter on a day-to-day basis.
The Chief Justice also observed that the dispute was highly sensitive and cautioned against any action or expression that could escalate tensions.

"These are very sensitive matters. What is happening here can create the wrong message. We should be careful with our expressions. The High Court and the helplessness of the State in maintaining law and order issues have been noticed. That's why we thought whatever system is there," the CJI said.

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