Supreme Court Mandates Specific Site for Bhojshala Friday Prayers

The Supreme Court of India directed the Government of Madhya Pradesh on July 30, 2026, to allot land plot Khasra No. 596 for the Muslim community to perform Friday namaz between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The court identified this plot, described as Dargah land with independent access, as a suitable adjacent location to the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar.

This directive followed a plea from the Muslim side alleging that the state government failed to comply with a July 14 interim order. Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi argued that the government's previously proposed alternative site was unsuitable and located 1.3 kilometers away from the complex. While Solicitor General Tushar Mehta maintained that the administration had identified other potential locations, the court ultimately specified the Khasra No. 596 plot to ensure proximity.

The wider dispute centers on whether the complex is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati or the Kamal Maula Mosque. On May 15, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh High Court declared the site a temple and quashed a 2003 Archaeological Survey of India order that had allowed prayers. The Supreme Court has prohibited any structural alterations to the complex while appeals are pending and noted that parties may mutually agree on a different site if the current allotment proves unsuitable.