Supreme Court Adjourns Bodh Gaya Temple Case Hearing: Petitioners Seek 4 Weeks for Rejoinder

New Delhi- In a setback for the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Liberation Movement, the Supreme Court on December 9, adjourned the much-anticipated final hearing on the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Act (BT Act 1949) petition to four weeks from now. The bench was set to hear final arguments today following an earlier advancement from January 20, 2026, at the request of the Buddhist side. However, the petitioners' advocate sought additional time to file a rejoinder, leading to the postponement.

Speaking to Mooknayak, Advocate Anand S. Jondhale, representing intervenors including the All India Buddhist Forum, detailed the courtroom exchange. "The petitioners stated they needed time to file the rejoinder affidavit. The court retorted, 'Who has restrained you?' pointing out that no one had barred them from doing so earlier.

The matter was adjourned for four weeks," Jondhale explained, expressing mild disappointment but optimism for resolution. This delay comes after rigorous preparations, including counter-affidavits from the Bihar government and Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC).

The December 9 date was secured last month after Jondhale's mention advanced the timeline from late November (which lapsed) and January. Jondhale had urged an expedited timeline to resolve the century-old dispute over Buddhist control of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. However the petitioners sought time for filing a rejoinder.

"This brief adjournment won't dampen our resolve; it's a procedural step toward truth," Jondhale affirmed to The Mooknayak, urging continued advocacy.