The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday fixed September 30 as the next date for hearing in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute at Mathura.

The Hindu side had moved an application for amendment in its petition, following which the next hearing was fixed.

Justice Mayank Kumar Jain is hearing 18 suits which are consolidated.

On August 1, the high court rejected the plea challenging the maintainability of 18 cases related to the temple-mosque dispute in Mathura, and ruled that the "religious character" of Shahi Idgah needs to be determined.

The high court had dismissed the Muslim side's contention that the suits filed by Hindu litigants relating to the dispute over the Shahi Idgah mosque complex adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple violated the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, and were thus not maintainable.

The 1991 Act prohibits changing the religious character of any shrine from what existed on the day of the country's Independence. It exempted only the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute from its purview.

The cases filed by the Hindu side seek the "removal" of the Aurangzeb-era mosque they claim was built after demolishing a temple that once stood there.

In its ruling, the high court had said the 1991 Act did not define the term "religious character" and the "disputed" place cannot have a dual religious character -- of a temple and a mosque, which are "adverse to each other" -- at the same time.

"Either the place is a temple or a mosque. Thus, I find that the religious character of the disputed place as it existed on August 15, 1947 is to be determined by documentary as well as oral evidence led by both the parties," the high court judge had said.

The controversy is related to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb-era Shahi Idgah mosque at Mathura, which is alleged to have been built after demolishing a temple at the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

However, the Muslim side (management committee of the Shahi-Idgah and the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board) has opposed it on several grounds.

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