Supreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final Verdict

On July 14, the Supreme Court issued an interim order in the Bhojshala dispute, calling the matter “extremely sensitive” and urging restraint from all sides to prevent any escalation. The court refused to stay the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s ruling dated May 15, but allowed Muslims to offer Friday namaz at an alternative site near the Bhojshala complex in Dhar until a final verdict is delivered.A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stressed that the arrangement is temporary and will not affect the final rights of either side. The court directed that a separate space be provided for namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm on Fridays and ensured that no disturbance is caused to either community. It also barred any structural changes at the site without prior court approval and indicated that the matter will be heard soon.The case stems from the MP High Court’s ruling, which held the site to have a temple character based on ASI findings linking it to earlier Saraswati temple remains. The long-standing dispute involves competing claims, with a 2003 arrangement allowing shared use.