• Source:JND
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Sambhal Jama Masjid Supreme Court Hearing Updates: The Supreme Court on Friday paused the ongoing proceedings in the civil court in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, which ordered a survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in the Chandausi area in Sambhal and appointed an advocate commissioner for the survey.

The top court asked the lower court not to pass any order till the Mosque Committee approached the Allahabad High Court while directing the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain peace and harmony in the violence-hit town and set up a peace committee comprising members of both communities. 

"We hope and trust that the trial court will not proceed with the matter till the high court takes up and passes any order in the matter," it said.

The top court bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also directed the Allahabad High Court to take up the matter within three days of the filing of the suit by the Mosque committee. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, did not dismiss the Special Leave Plea (SLP), filed by the Muslim side, but deferred the hearing till January 6, 2025.

The civil court in Sambhal had passed an ex-parte order on November 19 to survey the Shahi Jama Masjid in the Chandausi area of the city. The order came after a Hindu priest moved the court, claiming that the mosque was built after demolishing a temple. However, clashes erupted the second time Survey officials arrived at the mosque. Five people were killed and over two dozen, including the police and administrative officers, suffered injuries in the brawl.

Sambhal Masjid Supreme Court Hearing LIVE Updates -

- The top court further asked the Sambhal trial court not to open any report, which may be filed before it, till the high court took up the matter and passed an order on the plea of the Muslim side.

- The bench, which advised the Muslim side to move the high court against the impugned order of the district court, has kept the matter pending and ordered its listing in the week commencing January 6.

- Ahead of the submission of the survey report of Shahi Jama Masjid by the ASI team in the District Court today, a Lawyer representing Govt of India and ASI, Vishnu Kumar Sharma says, "We might file our reply in the court today, reported news agency ANI. 

- "Adequate force has been deployed. Only advocates will be allowed to enter the court. Drones, cameras, everything is being used for monitoring," said Santosh Kumar Singh, Circle Officer Chandausi. 

- The civil court-appointed ASI team will submit its survey report on Shahi Jama Masjid today. District administration ramped up security. 

- A bench comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar will shortly take up the case, as per the case list published on the SC website.

- It also called for the survey commissioner's report to be submitted in a sealed cover and requested that the status quo remain in place until the Supreme Court resolves the matter.

- The petition requested directives ensuring that surveys in disputes concerning places of worship are not conducted routinely without first hearing all parties and providing adequate time for affected individuals to pursue legal remedies against the survey order.

- In its special leave petition filed before the Supreme Court, Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee has sought an ad-interim and ex-parte stay on the operation of the impugned decision passed by Chandausi's Civil Judge on November 19.