The Madhya Pradesh High Court declared the disputed Bhojshala site in Dhar a Hindu temple in an order announced on Monday, March 17, 2026 [3].
The ruling settles a long-standing religious dispute over the structure's identity and removes previous legal protections that allowed shared or alternating access to the site. By designating the site as a temple, the court fundamentally alters the legal status of the property and the rights of the competing claimants.
A bench consisting of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi issued the decision [1]. The court set aside a previous order that had allowed Muslims to offer prayers at the site [1]. To reach this conclusion, the bench applied 10 principles established by the Supreme Court during the Ayodhya case [2].
"For determining the character of the disputed area we have to keep in mind… 10 principles laid down [by SC] in the Ayodhya case," the judgment said [2].
As part of the legal process, the court ordered a personal inspection of the Bhojshala Temple–Kamal Maula Mosque [3]. This inspection was mandated to be completed before April 2, 2026 [1, 3].
The decision follows a series of disputes regarding the architectural and historical nature of the structure. The court's reliance on the Ayodhya precedent indicates a legal strategy to apply established judicial frameworks for resolving complex land and religious disputes in India [2].
“The Madhya Pradesh High Court declared the disputed Bhojshala site in Dhar a Hindu temple.”
This ruling demonstrates the continuing influence of the Supreme Court's Ayodhya judgment as the primary legal blueprint for resolving religious site disputes in India. By applying these specific principles, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has shifted the site's status from a contested space to a designated Hindu temple, effectively ending the legal basis for Muslim prayer at the location.
