Gyanvapi, Mathura & Sambhal Disputes: Hindu, Muslim Sides Reject Supreme Court's Mediation Proposal
Hindu and Muslim parties in the Gyanvapi, Mathura and Sambhal temple-mosque disputes declined the Supreme Court's mediation proposal and sought adjudication on legal merits
Both Hindu and Muslim parties in the Gyanvapi mosque dispute, the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute in Mathura, and the Sambhal Jama Masjid dispute have declined to participate in the Supreme Court's proposed mediation initiative, choosing instead to have the long-pending litigations decided on their legal merits.
The development comes after the Supreme Court administration invited parties in the three high-profile temple-mosque disputes to explore an amicable settlement under "Supreme Court Action for Mediated Adjudication and Disputes Harmonization Across Nation (Samadhan Samaroh) 2026", a nationwide mediation initiative culminating in a special Lok Adalat scheduled from August 21 to 23.
According to reports, both the Hindu litigants and the mosque management committees informed the Supreme Court and the concerned State and District Legal Services Authorities that they were not willing to resolve the disputes through mediation or a Lok Adalat.
Lawyers representing the Hindu side maintained that the disputes involve questions of title, constitutional rights and issues of significant public importance that should be adjudicated by constitutional courts rather than settled through consensual mechanisms. "The matters involve issues of title, constitutional rights and questions of wider public importance. These are not disputes that can appropriately be resolved through a Lok Adalat," a lawyer associated with one of the temple-side litigations said.
Representatives of the mosque management committees echoed a similar position, stating that while they favour peaceful resolution of disputes, they do not consider mediation an appropriate mechanism for deciding issues involving places of worship and competing legal claims.
The responses have effectively ruled out the possibility of these cases being taken up during the Supreme Court's special Lok Adalat under the Samadhan Samaroh 2026 initiative.
What is the Supreme Court's special Lok Adalat under the Samadhan Samaroh 2026?
The mediation programme, announced in April, seeks to encourage voluntary settlement of pending Supreme Court cases through mediation and other consent-based dispute resolution mechanisms before specially constituted Lok Adalat sittings. The initiative also envisages an online registration portal and a dedicated coordination centre to facilitate settlements.
About the three disputes
The Gyanvapi dispute concerns claims by Hindu litigants that the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi was constructed after the demolition of the ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple during the Mughal era. Multiple suits seek worship rights within the mosque complex and challenge the applicability of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, while the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee maintains that the mosque enjoys statutory protection under the 1991 law.
The Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute involves claims that the Shahi Eidgah mosque stands on land believed to be Lord Krishna's birthplace. Hindu organisations have challenged the validity of a 1968 compromise between the temple trust and the mosque committee and seek restoration of the alleged temple land. The mosque committee disputes these claims, relying, among other grounds, on the Places of Worship Act.
The Sambhal Jama Masjid dispute arose after a civil court ordered a survey of the Mughal-era mosque following claims that a Harihar temple previously existed at the site. The court-ordered survey triggered violence in Sambhal in November last year, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
All three disputes are currently pending before the Supreme Court, which is examining broader legal questions concerning the maintainability of such suits and the interpretation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.