The Supreme Court has referred three high-profile religious site disputes in Uttar Pradesh to a Special Lok Adalat to examine whether the parties can arrive at an amicable settlement outside regular court proceedings.
The move covers the disputes relating to the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple-Shahi Idgah mosque complex in Mathura, and the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. The Special Lok Adalat, named ‘Samadhan’, will be held at the Supreme Court premises on August 21, 22 and 23.
Supreme Court launches conciliation process
Ahead of the Special Lok Adalat, notices have been issued to both Hindu and Muslim parties, asking them to participate in pre-Lok Adalat conciliation proceedings.
According to an order issued by the Supreme Court Coordination Committee on June 5, the three matters were identified as suitable for resolution through the Special Lok Adalat mechanism.
The notice informed the parties that the Supreme Court was organising ‘Samadhan Samaroh’, which began on April 21, 2026, and will culminate in the Special Lok Adalat scheduled for August.
“Take notice that the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India is organising ‘Samadhan Samaroh’, which will commence from April 21, 2026, and culminate in a Special Lok Adalat on August 21, 22 and 23, 2026, on the premises of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. Your case has been identified as suitable for being referred to and taken up in the Special Lok Adalat,” the notice stated.
Mathura conciliation meeting already held
As part of the process, a pre-Lok Adalat conciliation meeting was held in Mathura on July 5.
Some Hindu plaintiffs attended the proceedings, while representatives of the Muslim side did not appear. Further proceedings are awaited.
What the three disputes are about
The three cases arise from claims by Hindu petitioners that historic mosques in Uttar Pradesh stand on sites where ancient Hindu temples once existed.
In the Gyanvapi case, Hindu litigants contend that the mosque was built after the demolition of the original 16th-century Kashi Vishwanath Temple, allegedly during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
The Mathura dispute concerns the 13.37-acre Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah complex. The dispute centres on the Hindu claim that the mosque stands over the Garbha Griha, regarded as the prison cell where Lord Krishna is believed to have been born.
The legal battle over the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal began after a petition was moved in 2024. The Hindu side claims the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid, completed in 1526, was constructed over an ancient Hari Har Temple.
(With inputs from ANI)