The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices on petitions filed by Muslim groups challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court judgement that declared the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex to be a Hindu temple, Live Law reported.

The court, however, declined to issue an interim order restoring the status quo that existed before the High Court’s verdict, under which both sides were allowed to pray inside the complex on designated days.

On May 15, the High Court ruled that the complex in Dhar district is a temple of Hindu deity Saraswati and quashed a 2003 order of the Archaeological Survey of India allowing Hindus to perform prayers on the premises on Tuesdays and Muslims to offer namaz in the complex on Fridays.

The High Court had allowed the Muslim side to seek alternative land within the district to build a mosque.

On Tuesday, a Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said that the court would not pass an order that may cause tensions, Live Law reported.

However, it ordered the Madhya Pradesh government to make available an open space adjacent to the complex for Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays between 1 pm and 3 pm. The arrangement would be temporary and subject to the final ruling in the matter, the court added.

The bench also directed the Archaeological Survey of India not to make structural changes to the complex without the court’s permission.

In its judgement in May, the High Court had directed the Union government and the Archaeological Survey of India to decide on how the property would be administered. It had given the Archaeological Survey of India supervisory control over the preservation, conservation and regulation of religious practices at the site.

In March 2024, the High Court directed the Archaeological Survey of India to carry out a survey of the site on a plea by a group called the Hindu Front for Justice.

The Hindu Front for Justice had argued that the Kamal Maula mosque was constructed during the reign of Alauddin Khilji between the 13th century and 14th century by “destroying and dismantling ancient structures of previously constructed Hindu temples”.

The Archaeological Survey of India found in July 2024 that the mosque was constructed using parts from earlier temples at the site.

Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.