Supreme Court Refers Gyanvapi, Mathura and Sambhal Disputes to Special Lok Adalat for Settlement Talks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has made a significant decision to refer India's most sensitive religious disputes related to the Gyanvapi Mosque case in Varanasi, the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura and Hari Mandir-Mosque dispute in Sambhal to a special Lok Adalat to be held on the Supreme Court premises for resolving them through negotiations. 

What is Samadhan Samaroh?

Under the "Samadhan Samaroh" initiative, the main hearings for all these cases are scheduled in the Supreme Court on August 21, 22, and 23. Previously, following the Top Court directives, reconciliation efforts were conducted in the Mathura Special Lok Adalat.

As part of the process, the Supreme Court has issued notices to both the Hindu and Muslim parties involved in the three cases.

What about the pre-lok adalat conciliation?

The court has also initiated conciliation efforts before the Lok Adalat. Mediation efforts have been underway in the lower courts since April 21. According to the schedule, a pre-conciliation hearing in the Gyanvapi case will be held in Varanasi on July 14, before the Lok Adalat proceedings. In the Mathura Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute, previous mediation attempts reportedly failed on July 5, after which the Supreme Court included the case in the special Lok Adalat initiative. The special Lok Adalat for resolution is scheduled for August 21, 22, and 23. 

What about the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute?

Previously, following Supreme Court directives, conciliation talks were held at the local Lok Adalat on Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) related to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute, but they failed. In fact, the Eidgah side did not appear in court to participate in the proceedings. Consequently, on Thursday, the District Legal Services Authority issued an order declaring the conciliation talks unsuccessful.

Mahendra Pratap Singh, a Hindu litigant in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi case, stated that a total of 18 lawsuits have been filed regarding the Shri Krishna Janmasthan and Shahi Eidgah Mosque cases. All of these cases are currently being heard in the Allahabad High Court. Recently, some individuals filed seven special leave petitions in the Supreme Court, proposing that the dispute be resolved through a settlement between the two parties.

In this case, the Supreme Court transferred the case to a special Lok Adalat in Mathura and directed that efforts be made to reach a settlement. On Saturday, conciliation proceedings were held at the special Lok Adalat in the court of ADJ-11 Surendra Prasad. The Hindu plaintiffs were present during the proceedings, but the Muslim side did not appear. As a result, the settlement talks failed.