The Supreme Court on Friday asked the trial court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal to stop proceedings in the mosque survey case till the Shahi Idgah committee of the Sambhal mosque moves the High Court. The survey was initiated following a petition claiming that there once stood a Harihar temple at the site. Violence broke out in Sambhal on November 24, leaving four people dead and many more injured, including police officers.
The Supreme Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain “peace and harmony” in Sambhal and directed the trial court not to take any further steps on the survey of the mosque till January 8. The court further advised the mosque committee to move the High Court against the survey order of the trial court, with the petition to be listed within three days of its filing. The survey report of the advocate commissioner would remain confidential.
“We hope and trust that the trial court will not take any further steps until the high court reviews the case and issues appropriate orders,” the Supreme Court said.
The case has been kept pending with the next hearing scheduled for 6th January. The Counsel for the Hindu side, Vishnu Shankar Jain, said the Supreme Court had insisted upon maintaining peace and harmony in Sambhal, and it was also directing the Mosque Committee to file its appeal against the order passed by the trial court before the High Court.
In reaction to the violence, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel announced the setting up of a three-member judicial inquiry commission into the matter; it is to submit its report within two months.
This is a developing story; we will keep updating
