Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Inclusion Of Govt Nominees In Trust To Build Mosque At Ayodhya

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking for directions to the Central Government to create a trust consisting of government nominees belong to the Sunni Muslim Community for building of the mosque on the land in Ayodhya allotted to UP Sunni Waqf Board.

A Bench headed by Justice Rohinton F.Nariman heard the arguments of Advocate Hari Shankar Jain and proceeded to dismiss the plea.

The Public Interest Litigation, filed by Shishir Chaturvedi and Karunesh Kumar Shukla through Advocate Divya Jyoti Singh, sought for "issuance of direction to the Central Government to create a trust consisting of nominees of the Central and State Government belonging to Sunni Muslim Community for proper administration of the land and construction to be raised over 5 acres land allotted to UP Sunni Central Waqf Board…"

The petitioners argued that the presence of government nominees in the Trust was necessary to ensure that funds are not misappropriated and that to maintain peace and tranquility in the region. Additionally, the petitioners argued that since the Ramjanmabhoomi trust has a provision for inclusion of such nominees, the Islamic Trust should have it as well.

The land had been allotted to the Board in pursuance of the judgment and order dated 9th November, 2019, in the Ayodhya dispute case.

The plea stated that the Central Government had created a trust known as "Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra" and a trust deed had been executed. Thereafter, the disputed land and the acquired land had been handed over to the trust.

Additionally, the State Government, in compliance of the judgement, 5 acres of land were allotted to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board which had declared on 29^th July, 2020, that a trust under the title of "Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation" would be created.

This Foundation would facilitate the building of the mosque, cultural and research centre, with public utility facilities. However, the plea averred, there exists no provision for nomination of an officer of the Government, akin to the Ramjanmabhoomi Trust.

Noting that hundreds of people would visit the site of the "Islamic Trust" and that it would get contributions from within India as well as from foreign countries, the plea raised the issue pertaining to proper management of funds and property vested in the trust.

"It is in public interest that the Central Government and State Government may have all relevant information about the working of the trust to maintain public order and to ensure that no malpractices take place and the funds are not mis-utilised or misappropriated by any trust".

In light of the above, the plea sought for directions to the Central Government to create a trust "making provision for nomination of officers of the Government in the same manner provision has been made in Ayodhya Teerth Kshetra Trust created by the Central Government vide ordre dated 05.02.2020".