Today, the Madhya Pradesh High Court heard the long-pending dispute over the Bhojshala–Kamal Maula complex in Dhar.

The Court in its hearing held that the judges will conduct a personal inspection of the site before further arguments take place.

The matter was heard by a division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthy. To avoid delays in the proceedings, the bench decided that arguments will first be heard from the main parties in the case. Those who have filed intervention applications will be allowed to present their arguments later, in line with a Supreme Court direction to speed up the case.

A key part of the proceedings is the report submitted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The survey was conducted for nearly 100 days starting in March 2024, during which a team of experts examined the temple–mosque complex and the surrounding area.

According to the report, the site appears to have been used for religious, educational and social purposes during different periods in history. The team found inscriptions in several languages, including Sanskrit, Prakrit, Arabic and Persian. Some inscriptions mention a play performed in a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while others are believed to be connected to texts from the time of Raja Bhoj.

The ASI also recovered more than 1,700 artefacts during the survey. These include fragments of sculptures of Lord Shiva and Vasuki Nag, along with architectural designs such as lotus carvings and floral patterns that are commonly seen in temple structures.

At the same time, the survey documented 56 Arabic and Persian inscriptions and noted Islamic architectural features such as arches and the direction of mihrabs. These findings suggest that the structure was later used as a mosque or dargah linked to the Sufi saint Kamal Maula.

During the hearing, the Muslim side raised objections to the ASI report. Earlier, the High Court had given all parties two weeks to file their suggestions and objections regarding the findings of the survey.

Senior lawyers appeared in the case, including Additional Solicitor General Sunil Jain for the ASI and Advocate General Prashant Singh for the state government. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain joined the hearing through video conferencing, along with representatives from the Hindu Front for Justice and the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society.

The case raises questions about the right to worship and whether Namaz can be offered at the complex. Although the matter was briefly transferred to the principal bench in Jabalpur, it has now been sent back to the Indore Bench for further hearing.

With the ASI report now shared with all parties, the High Court will examine the objections filed in the next hearing. The judges’ planned site visit is expected to help the court better understand the situation before deciding the next steps in the case.