Supreme Court records mediated settlement and directs incorporation of compromise into decree in temple-management dispute

A bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal heard an appeal by Shri Jain Shwetamber Shri Sangh Panjikrit Sanstha challenging the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench judgment that had dismissed its challenge to the trial court decree in Civil Suit No.22 of 2017; the lis concerned title, possession and management of the Dadabari complex, two temples in Ajmer and related bank accounts and ancillary proceedings. The appeal arose from S.L.P. (C) No.25759 of 2023 and the High Court order dated 02.08.2023 in S.B. Civil First Appeal No.1015 of 2019.

The Court accepted a mediated compromise arrived at with the assistance of Hon’ble Mr. Justice S. Ravindra Bhat (Retd.) and disposed of the appeal by modifying the judgments below to incorporate the terms of settlement. The bench recorded that the parties had “amicably settled all the disputes and issues between them” and directed that the compromise deed be made part of the decree of this Court. The Court, in its reasoning, observed: “We dispose of the present appeal while modifying the judgment and decree of the Courts below in terms of the settlement arrived at between the parties, which shall form part of the decree.” The judgment further recorded the mediation process and the execution of the Compromise Agreement on 07.12.2024, noting that an initial payment of Rs.11,00,000/- had been made on execution and the balance of Rs.8,00,00,000/- was paid by demand draft on 12.12.2024.

Background: The dispute related to competing claims of two Jain bodies over the Dadabari complex and two temples in Ajmer (Sambhavnath Bhagwan ka Mandir, Lakhan Kothri and Rishabhdev Bhagwan ka Mandir, Sundar Vilas), along with control over specified bank accounts. The appellant approached this Court after the High Court dismissed its appeal against the trial court decree. By consent, this Court referred the matter to mediation on 01.12.2023 and appointed Justice (Retd.) S. Ravindra Bhat as mediator. The mediation produced a detailed settlement recorded in the judgment: party no.1 (Shri Jain Shwetambar Shree Sangh) agreed to exclusive ownership and management of the two Ajmer temples and related bank accounts (three Punjab National Bank accounts enumerated), while party no.2 (Shri Jain Shwetambar Khartargachh Sangh) obtained sole ownership, possession and management of the Dadabari complex including all movables and bhandars. Monetary settlement provided for a total payment of Rs.8,11,00,000/-, with Rs.11,00,000/- paid on execution and Rs.8,00,00,000/- paid on the passing of the final order by this Court; the record showed compliance with those payments. The parties undertook to withdraw and not pursue further litigations or allegations against each other and agreed to seek quashing/closure of specified pending proceedings “in exercise of its powers under Art. 142.” The Court directed that the settlement be recorded as part of the decree, ordered copies to be sent to the concerned courts for placing on file and consigned the former proceedings as settled; pending applications stood disposed of.

Case Details: Case No.: 2025 INSC 41 (arising out of S.L.P. (C) No.25759 of 2023) Case Title: Shri Jain Shwetamber Shri Sangh Panjikrit Sanstha v. State of Rajasthan and Others Appearances: For the Petitioner(s): [Names not mentioned in judgment] For the Respondent(s): [Names not mentioned in judgment]