The Mosque Committee faced a stern rebuff from the Supreme Court in the Mathura Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute. The court dismissed the committee's petition, simultaneously paving the way for joint hearings on all related cases.
An apex court bench, chaired by Justice Sanjeev Khanna, scheduled the hearing for the second week of April to decide whether the lower court's hearing should be transferred to the High Court, which previously issued an order now challenged in the Supreme Court. An interim stay order is currently in place for the High Court’s survey order.
In fact, the committee managing the Shahi Idgah Mosque allegedly on the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Mathura had contested a High Court order consolidating 15 lawsuits for combined hearing.
This decision by the High Court, which states all suits are similar in nature and should be adjudged on the same evidence to save time, was justified. The apex court found no reason to interfere with the High Court’s order upon dismissing the petition.
According to the bench led by Justice Sanjeev Khanna, the committee's application for order recall is already pending at the High Court. The court dismissed the petition, stating that litigants could re-approach after the recall application is ordered.
It should be noted that the petition filed by the trustee committee of the Shahi Mosque Idgah argued that without adequate hearing, 15 different cases were hastily amalgamated and labeled a primary case.
The petitioner's lawyer expressed grave concerns over justice being compromised by consolidating cases. The petition argued that the order was legally and factually incorrect as per the High Court’s ruling.
