SC refuses to expunge word temple in its order in Jalgaon Masjid row

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to amend its earlier order passed on April 19, asking the Jalgaon Municipal Council to keep the keys to the front and the back gates of the Jalgaon Masjid with them.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Vishwanathan passed the order on a plea by the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee against the Bombay High Court order which had upheld the commissioner's order prohibiting people from offering prayers at the Masjid premises.

The Jumma Masjid Trust Committee in its plea had sought amendment in the earlier orders asking to remove the word 'temple'.

Justice Surya Kant refused to amend the order. He repeated the words and said that the words 'temple or other temple' have been used in the presence of the peitioner's lawyer thrice. "We will not amend the orders," Justice Suryakant said.

The matter pertains to an interim order passed by the Collector prohibiting people from offering prayers in the said mosque.

The Commissioner directed the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee to hand over the keys of the mosque to the chief officer of Erandol Municipal Council.

The claim of the Hindu group Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti is that the mosque is actually a temple which has been encroached upon by the local Muslim community.

The Supreme Court, however, allowed Senior Advocate Devdutt Kamat, appearing for the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee, to file a review petition. (UNI)<>