A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India challenging the permission granted to conduct Mahashivaratri worship at the Ladle Mashayakh Dargah complex in Aland, Kalaburagi district of Karnataka. The plea seeks directions to restrain any form of worship or construction activity within the premises, arguing that such actions would alter the site’s existing religious character.
The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. Appearing for the dargah management, senior advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija urged the court to take up the matter urgently ahead of Mahashivaratri on February 15.
During the hearing, the bench expressed concern over petitions being filed directly under Article 32 of the Constitution without first approaching the concerned High Court. The Chief Justice observed that such filings should not create an impression that High Courts are inactive. The court said it would consider the request for urgent listing.
The dargah in Aland is associated with 14th-century Sufi saint Hazrat Sheikh Alauddin Ansari, also known as Ladle Mashayakh. The premises are also linked to 15th-century saint Raghav Chaitanya. Within the complex stands a structure referred to as the “Raghav Chaitanya Shivling,” where members of both communities have traditionally offered prayers.
The dispute intensified in 2022 following allegations that filth was thrown on the Shivling. Since then, multiple legal proceedings have been initiated over worship rights.
In February 2025, the Karnataka High Court permitted 15 persons to perform worship on Mahashivaratri under security arrangements. Reports indicated that no untoward incident occurred during the restricted entry.
In the fresh plea, the dargah management has alleged that interim orders are being used to gradually alter the religious character of the site. It contends that claims not established through evidence are being advanced through festival-specific permissions.
The petition also cites a 1968 decision of the Aland Town Municipal Council, which had refused permission for constructing a temple or samadhi within the dargah complex. The council had described the site as a mazar surrounded by Muslim graves and found no documentary basis for any non-waqf construction.
The plea further argues that applications are filed on various forums each year ahead of Mahashivaratri to secure temporary worship permissions, which, it claims, are intended to be converted into permanent religious rights.
In the latest development, a petitioner named Sidramayya Hiremath has approached the Karnataka High Court in 2026 seeking permission and police protection to conduct worship in the dargah complex on February 15. He had filed a similar petition in 2025 as well.
The Supreme Court has not passed any final order on urgent hearing. If the matter is listed, a significant decision on the sensitive dispute could emerge before Mahashivaratri.
