All Parties in Gyanvapi, Mathura and Sambhal Disputes Reject Supreme Court's Lok Adalat Offer
New Delhi: The Hindu and Muslim sides in the Gyanvapi mosque dispute, the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah land dispute in Mathura, as well as the Jama Masjid dispute in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal case have declined to participate in the Supreme Court’s proposed consensual dispute resolution process, stating that these are not matters that can be resolved in a Lok Adalat session, Hindustan Times reported.
They have instead opted to have the contentious litigations adjudicated on their legal merits.
Per the daily, the Supreme Court administration had recently written to the contesting parties in all three temple-mosque disputes, inviting them to explore an amicable settlement under the apex court’s nationwide mediation initiative, “Supreme Court Action for Mediated Adjudication and Disputes Harmonization Across Nation (Samadhan Samaroh) 2026”. This initiative is to culminate in a special Lok Adalat from August 21 to 23.
However, all the parties involved have informed the top court, along with the respective state and district legal services authorities, that they were not inclined to participate in it, as it involved com
Per the report, litigants associated with all three disputes told HT that they were of the view that such cases involving competing claims over places of worship, title, constitutional issues and matters of public importance should be adjudicated by courts, and not resolved through a Lok Adalat or mediated settlement.
The responses from the lawyers, litigants and parties involved in the three temple disputes have effectively ruled out the possibility of any of them figuring among matters that may be taken up during the special Lok Adalat.
Samadhan Samaroh 2026
The Supreme Court announced the Samadhan Samaroh 2026 in April with an aim to encourage litigants for an amicable settlement of pending matters through consent-based resolution mechanisms.
“To advance the vision of ‘participative justice’ and ‘doorstep delivery of justice’, the Supreme Court of India is organising ‘Supreme Court Action for Mediated Adjudication and Disputes Harmonization Across Nation’-SAMADHAN SAMAROH commencing from 21st April, 2026 and culminating into holding of a Special Lok Adalat on 21st, 22nd and 23rd August, 2026,” the notification read.
The four-month programme involves parties registering for mediation through physical and virtual modes, whereas the Supreme Court sets up a dedicated online portal and a central “war room” to coordinate the exercise.
The three mosque dispute cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court, which has been called upon to examine broader legal questions surrounding such suits in light of the Places of Worship Act.
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