Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Survey: Supreme Court Grants Short Adjournment, Lists Case For July 21
Supreme Court adjourned the Shahi Jama Masjid Committee's plea against the court-ordered Sambhal mosque survey to July 21
The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned to July 21 the plea filed by the Shahi Jama Masjid Committee challenging the appointment of an Advocate Commissioner to conduct a court-ordered survey of the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh.
The matter came up before a Bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe.
At the outset, Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the mosque committee, sought a short adjournment.
Accepting the request, the Bench deferred the hearing and directed that the matter be listed on July 21.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain appeared for the respondent.
The plea challenges the order appointing an Advocate Commissioner to survey the Sambhal mosque following claims that it was constructed after the demolition of a pre-existing Hindu temple. The survey and the ensuing litigation form part of the broader legal dispute over the status of the religious site.
The Supreme Court will now take up the matter on July 21.
Previous Hearings
In May, the Court had expressed concern over multiple Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed by the Sambhal Mosque Committee against the same order of the Allahabad High Court, calling the situation “unfortunate” and urging the parties to resolve internal disputes. The bench was hearing a plea challenging the High Court’s order affirming a trial court direction to appoint an advocate commissioner to survey a mosque, in a suit alleging that it was constructed after demolishing a temple. At the outset, the Bench noted that two separate SLPs had been filed through different Advocates-on-Record on behalf of the mosque committee. “This is the first time we are finding a situation where an SLP is filed against the same order by two different advocates,” Justice Narasimha remarked.
Notably, on August 22, 2025 the Court had asked whether the matter ought to be tagged with pending petitions concerning the validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The Bench had extended the status quo order stating that it would examine the previous order to avoid passing inconsistent directions.
Earlier, in January 2025, the Court had issued notice on the plea and ordered status quo with regard to a well located near the entrance of the mosque. The Court had ordered status quo with regard to a well located near the entrance of the mosque.
In the main petition filed by the Masjid Committee, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna led bench had asked the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee to approach the Allahabad High Court with its petition against the ASI survey ordered by a civil court.
The Masjid Committee moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on a civil court’s November 19 order directing a survey, to be conducted by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), of the 16th-century mosque in Uttar Pradesh. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar is scheduled to hear the plea on November 29, 2024.
Case Title: Committee of Management, Jami Masjid Sambhal v. Hari Shankar Jain
Bench: Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe
Hearing Date: July 14, 2026