Supreme Court Permits Friday Namaz Near Bhojshala, Refuses Interim Stay on Madhya Pradesh High Court Verdict
In a significant interim order in the long-running Bhojshala–Kamal Maula dispute, the Supreme Court has allowed members of the Muslim community to offer Friday namaz at a separate open space adjacent to the disputed site in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, while declining to stay the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s judgment declaring Bhojshala to be a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The arrangement has been made as a temporary measure pending the final adjudication of the appeals.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, issued notice on appeals filed by Muslim parties challenging the High Court’s May 2026 verdict. However, the Bench refused to restore the earlier arrangement under which Muslims were permitted to offer namaz within the disputed complex, observing that no interim order should disturb public peace or create law-and-order concerns in such a sensitive matter.
As an interim arrangement, the Supreme Court directed the Madhya Pradesh Government and local authorities to provide a separate open space near the Bhojshala complex where Friday prayers may be offered between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The Court clarified that this permission is purely ad hoc, without prejudice to the rights and claims of either side, and will remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
The Bench also restrained the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from carrying out any structural alterations at the disputed site without obtaining prior permission from the Supreme Court. Emphasising the need to preserve communal harmony, the Court remarked that the dispute concerns a highly sensitive religious site and cautioned all parties against making statements or taking steps that could inflame tensions.
The appeals challenge the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s decision, which recognised the Bhojshala–Kamal Maula complex as a Hindu temple and set aside the earlier ASI arrangement that had allowed Muslims to offer Friday namaz at the site. The High Court’s ruling has triggered fresh litigation before the apex court, where historical, archaeological and constitutional issues concerning the religious character of the monument are now under consideration.
The Supreme Court has indicated its willingness to hear the matter expeditiously, even on a day-to-day basis if necessary, with the objective of bringing finality to one of the country’s most sensitive religious property disputes. Until then, the interim arrangement seeks to balance competing claims while maintaining public order and protecting the status quo.
