New Delhi
The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of a plea filed by the management committee of the Shahi Masjid Eidgah regarding the transfer of petitions to itself by the Allahabad High Court. The High Court had issued an order in May transferring these suits to its jurisdiction. On Friday, an affidavit was submitted containing details of the suits that were consolidated and transferred by the Allahabad High Court. However, the Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justices S.K. Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia, was unable to review the contents of the affidavit, prompting the adjournment of the hearing to November 10. The mosque management committee, in its plea, argued that the transfer of these suits by the High Court deprived the parties of their appellate jurisdiction. They also expressed concerns that not all parties had the resources to travel to the High Court for proceedings. In a previous hearing, the Supreme Court had suggested that it would be more efficient for the Allahabad High Court to handle the case to avoid delays and multiple proceedings. Consequently, the Supreme Court requested information and documents from the Registrar General regarding all pending suits that had been directed to be consolidated and transferred to the High Court. The dispute pertains to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Mathura, with various suits claiming that the Eidgah complex was constructed on land believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, where a temple had previously existed. Hindu devotees had petitioned the Allahabad High Court to transfer the case, arguing that it held national significance and should be heard in the High Court. Previously, in September, the Supreme Court had declined to entertain a petition by the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust requesting a scientific survey of the disputed premises.
