Supreme Court Grants Time in Disputed Mosque Well Case

The Supreme Court has allowed two weeks for the Shahi Jama Masjid committee to respond to a report on a disputed well outside the mosque in Sambhal. The site is amidst an ongoing legal and social dispute over religious claims, with historical and communal tensions rising in the area.

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a two-week period for the Shahi Jama Masjid's Committee of Management to prepare its response to a status report from Uttar Pradesh authorities. This follows concerns over a well, allegedly located outside the mosque, at the center of a communal dispute.

The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, directed the committee to submit an affidavit, responding to claims that the well lies beyond the mosque boundary, near a police chowki. The court aims to maintain current conditions as it examines the mosque committee's application to protect the site's religious sanctity.

Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj, representing the state's interests, asserted that the well is separate from the mosque premises. Addressing the bench, senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi contended the well's closure and its significance to religious practices, amid continuing legal proceedings at various judicial levels.

The dispute's roots trace back to historical claims about the mosque's site formerly housing a temple. District Administration initiatives aimed at reviving old religious structures have heightened community tensions, leading to clashes and several fatalities following a local court-ordered survey.

The ongoing case underscores the sensitive interplay of law, history, and religion in regional contexts. The situation continues to evolve, with legal directives and community sentiments at stake amid broader discussions on historical preservation and religious rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)