On Wednesday, the Allahabad HC rejected the recall petition filed by the Shahi Eidgah Mosque management committee challenging the court’s previous order which called for the consolidation of all lawsuits related to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute in Mathura.
The petition was related to the court’s January 11 order, which consolidated 15 suits regarding the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute in the interest of justice, based on an application by Hindu plaintiffs under Order IV-A of the Civil Procedure Code. The next routine hearing for the case is scheduled for November 6.
The court had already decided to combine the cases in its August 1 order, with no objections raised until now. Currently, the court is hearing an application involving 18 cases filed by Hindu devotees. Additionally, on August 1, Justice Jain dismissed the Shahi Idgah Mosque committee’s applications challenging the maintainability of the opposing party’s cases.
In their petition, the Shahi Idgah Mosque committee argued that consolidating the cases would deny them the right to contest each suit individually. However, the lawyer representing the Hindu devotees countered that the consolidation would not affect the mosque committee’s ability to oppose the suits. The lawyer emphasised that the court has the discretion to consolidate cases, and this decision cannot be overturned by any party.
The dispute centres on the location of the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, which is said to have been built during the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s reign after demolishing a temple at Lord Krishna’s birthplace.
