The Supreme Court has decided against hearing a petition that sought the restoration of a 7-foot beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu located at the Javari temple. This temple is a component of the famous Khajuraho group of monuments in the state of Madhya Pradesh. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih stated that the issue fell squarely under the authority of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and was not something the court could address. The justices emphasised that such matters of historical sites required the expertise and consent of the ASI.

During the proceedings, Chief Justice Gavai addressed the petitioner directly. "Go and ask the deity itself to do something now. You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. So go and pray now. It's an archaeological site, and ASI needs to give permission etc. Sorry," he said, indicating the court's stance that it could not override the established legal and administrative process for preserving heritage sites.

The petition, which was submitted by a person named Rakesh Dalal, contended that the idol was damaged during historical Mughal invasions and had been left in that condition for centuries. Despite numerous appeals and official requests made to the government, the idol had not been restored.

The petition also provided a historical context for the Khajuraho temples, noting they were originally constructed by the Chandravanshi kings. It asserted that a combination of neglect during the colonial period and subsequent inaction after India gained independence had resulted in the idol remaining unrepaired, even 77 years after the country's freedom.

Furthermore, the petitioner argued that the government's refusal to restore the idol constituted a violation of the fundamental right to worship held by devotees. The petition also drew attention to a history of protests, memoranda, and campaigns related to the temple that had reportedly been ignored and left unanswered by the authorities. This plea highlighted the ongoing frustration of a community seeking to have a revered religious and historical artefact returned to its original state.