Krishna Janmabhoomi case: Muslim side skips Lok Adalat hearing

A special Lok Adalat hearing for the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque dispute was held in Mathura. The Hindu side attended and proposed a settlement, while representatives from the Muslim side did not appear at the meeting.

A hearing under a special Lok Adalat took place in Mathura following directives from the Supreme Court of India regarding Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) related to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque dispute. Plaintiffs representing the Hindu side attended the meeting held on Saturday, presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ-11) Surendra Prasad, whereas no party appeared on behalf of the Muslim side.

Lok Adalat for Conciliation

This conciliation meeting was organised under the Supreme Court's "Samadhan Samaroh-2026" (Resolution Ceremony-2026) initiative, in accordance with instructions from the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, Lucknow, and under the guidance of the District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority, Mathura, Vikas Kumar.

According to the District Legal Services Authority, Lok Adalats are being held at state and district levels to explore possibilities for resolving pending cases through mutual consent ahead of the special Lok Adalat scheduled at the Supreme Court on August 21, 22, and 23.

Hindu Side's Proposal

Advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh, a litigant representing the Hindu side in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque case, stated that both parties were required to appear before the Lok Adalat to consider the possibility of a settlement, as directed by the Supreme Court. He noted that while the Hindu plaintiffs arrived at the scheduled time and presented their arguments for approximately half an hour, no representative from the Muslim side appeared.

According to Mahendra Pratap Singh, the Hindu litigants proposed during the conciliation talks that if the Muslim side agreed to remove the structure from the disputed site and relinquish its claim, the provision of land at an alternative suitable location for the construction of the mosque could be considered. He argued that it is possible to safely relocate any structure to another site using modern technology. He further added that during the hearing, the Hindu side cited historical facts to substantiate their claims.

Mahendra Pratap Singh stated that the court heard the Hindu side and also had the necessary documents signed. Further proceedings regarding this matter will now take place before the court. He mentioned that if no resolution is reached at the Mathura level, the case could be heard further in the Supreme Court on the scheduled dates of August 21, 22, or 23.

Other Hindu litigants in the case also stated that if the Muslim side withdraws its claim and removes the structure from the disputed site, the provision of land at an alternative location for the construction of a mosque could be considered. They maintained that the Hindu side regards the disputed site as the birthplace (manifestation site) of Lord Krishna.

District Legal Services Authority Oversees Talks

According to information released by the District Legal Services Authority, conciliation talks regarding identified cases were held on Saturday before the constituted benches. Anita Singh, Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, Mathura, was present at the meetings alongside the bench members. She encouraged the concerned parties to resolve their disputes through mutual consent and dialogue.

Representatives of the Hindu side, including Advocate Hareram Tripathi and Advocate Surendra Kumar (representing the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust), Kaushal Kishore Thakur Maharaj, Sant Shyamanand Maharaj, Ajay Singh, and Vijay Bahadur Singh, were present during the conciliation talks. (ANI)

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