SC indicates referring question of lead case in Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute to HC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 12, 2026) considered referring back to the Allahabad High Court the question as to which matter should be treated as the lead case in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute.

A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva took note of a statement made by parties that informal discussions were on among the Hindu plaintiffs on whose suit must be considered the lead case. The top court adjourned the hearing to September 2. “We in any case are inclined to remand the matter back to the High Court,” Justice Kumar remarked.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for some Hindu parties, urged the court to remand the matter back to the High Court for deciding the issue afresh.

The top court was hearing a plea of a Hindu party in the matter challenging a 2025 Allahabad High Court order, which treated another Hindu party, in another suit, as a representative of all devotees of Lord Krishna.

The top court is seized of multiple petitions filed by the mosque committee and Hindu sides against various orders, including a challenge to the May 26, 2023, order of the High Court transferring to itself all matters related to the dispute pending before the Mathura court.