The long-running dispute surrounding the historic Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district has now reached the Supreme Court of India after the Muslim side challenged a recent Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling declaring the disputed site a Hindu temple. The legal move comes amid heightened security arrangements in Dhar ahead of Friday prayers, with authorities deploying police personnel and barricades around the complex to maintain law and order in the sensitive area.

The Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed before the apex court challenges the judgment delivered by the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which struck down a 23-year-old arrangement governing access to the site. The earlier order issued by the Archaeological Survey of India in 2003 had permitted Hindus to offer prayers at the Bhojshala complex on Tuesdays, while Muslims were allowed to perform namaz on Fridays. The High Court’s ruling effectively ended that shared-access arrangement, triggering fresh tensions between both communities.

Representing the Muslim petitioners, lawyer Ashar Warsi stated that the community was dissatisfied with the High Court verdict and believed the matter involved complicated factual and historical issues that should have been adjudicated through a civil suit rather than through writ proceedings under Article 226. The petitioners also questioned the reliability of the ASI survey report relied upon by the High Court while reaching its conclusion regarding the character of the disputed monument.

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The Hindu side, meanwhile, has already filed caveats in the Supreme Court requesting that no order be passed without first hearing their arguments. Hindu groups have consistently maintained that the Bhojshala complex is an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while the Muslim community identifies the structure as the Kamal Maula Mosque. The dispute has remained a sensitive religious and legal issue for decades, periodically leading to political debate and increased administrative vigilance in the region.

In anticipation of possible tensions following the court developments, local authorities significantly tightened security around the Bhojshala premises on Friday. Police personnel were deployed at key entry points, barricades were erected, and surveillance was intensified to prevent any untoward incident during prayers and public gatherings. Officials said the administration was closely monitoring the situation and appealed to residents to maintain peace and communal harmony while the legal process continues.

The Bhojshala complex, believed to date back to the 11th century, is a protected monument under the ASI and has long stood at the center of competing religious claims. The matter now entering the Supreme Court is expected to further intensify legal and political attention surrounding the site. The apex court’s response to the petition could play a crucial role in determining future access arrangements and the broader interpretation of disputed religious structures in India.

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