Supreme Court Permits Friday Namaz on Dargah Land Near Bhojshala Complex
Clarifying its July 14, 2026 interim order, the Court said, "The Muslim community be permitted to offer Namaz on Friday from 1 pm to 3 pm at the land Khasra No. 596, which is stated to be Dargah land." The Court further directed the State to make necessary arrangements in compliance of its order.
New Delhi, July 30: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Madhya Pradesh government to allot a parcel of land adjacent to the disputed Dhar Bhojshala/Kamal Maula complex to enable members of the Muslim community to offer Friday Namaz. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the State government to make the necessary arrangements after identifying Khasra No. 596, stated to be Dargah land adjoining the disputed site, as the place where prayers would be offered.
Clarifying its July 14, 2026 interim order, the Court said, "The Muslim community be permitted to offer Namaz on Friday from 1 pm to 3 pm at the land Khasra No. 596, which is stated to be Dargah land." The Court further directed the State to make necessary arrangements in compliance of its order. School Holiday Tomorrow: Will Schools Remain Open on July 31 Amid IMD Heavy Rain Alerts?.
The order came on an application filed by the Muslim side in the pending appeals challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 15 judgment declaring the religious character of the disputed Bhojshala/Kamal Maula complex to be that of Bhojshala, a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.
The applicants sought allocation of an adjacent space for offering Friday Namaz, submitting that under the Supreme Court's July 14 interim arrangement, devotees were required to offer prayers at a site nearly one kilometre away from the disputed complex.
The Court noted that the site plan placed before it showed that Khasra No. 596 had an independent access road and was suitable for the purpose. "The site plan produced before us would show that the land Khasra No. 596 has an independent and separate access road and, therefore, the said site appears to be suitable. It is adjacent to the subject premises," the Court said.
On July 14, while refusing to stay the Madhya Pradesh High Court's judgment or restore the 2003 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrangement governing worship at the site, the Supreme Court had permitted, as an interim measure, members of the Muslim community to offer Friday Namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm at a separate open space adjacent to the disputed premises.
The Court had clarified that the arrangement would be ad hoc and subject to the outcome of the appeals. The Court had also directed that the ASI shall not undertake any structural alterations at the disputed complex without prior permission of the Supreme Court.
The appeals before the Supreme Court challenge the High Court's ruling, which declared the religious character of the disputed monument to be that of Bhojshala, a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. Delhi Government Directs Police Not To Take Adverse Action Against NEET Protesters, Orders Review of Arrests.
The High Court had also set aside the 2003 ASI arrangement to the extent it restricted Hindu worship inside the complex while permitting Friday prayers by the Muslim community, and directed the Union Government and the ASI to take decisions regarding the administration and management of the monument while retaining the ASI's overall control over its preservation.
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)