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Synopsis

The Supreme Court on Friday has refused to amend its April 19 order asking the Jalgaon Municipal Council to keep the keys to both the front and the back gates of the Jalgaon Masjid with them.

Hindu group Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti has claimed that the mosque is a temple which has been encroached upon by the local Muslim community.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Vishwanathan had passed the impugned order in an SLP moved by the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee against the Bombay High Court order.

Yesterday, Jumma Masjid Trust Committee sought amendment in the earlier orders asking to remove the words 'temple'.

Justice Surya Kant, while refusing any relief, went on to use the words 'temple or other temple'. "Now, these words have been used thrice in the presence of your lawyer. We will not amend the orders", the bench added.

Senior Advocate Devdutt Kamat, appearing for the Committee expressed his desire to file a review petition.

For some background, Collector had passed an interim order prohibiting people from offering prayers in the said mosque. The Jumma Masjid Trust Committee was also directed to hand over the keys of the mosque to the chief officer of Erandol Municipal Council.

Notably, the Aurangabad Bench of the High Court stayed this order but later dismissed the Trust's petition as frivolous and directed that the keys be handed over to the council.

In the SLP, the top court issued notice but made clear that the key to the main entrance of the entire complex will remain with the municipal council.

Case Title: Jumma Masjid Trust Committee vs. The State of Maharashtra & Ors.