Supreme Court Puts Survey of Mathura Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Complex on Hold

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday put on hold the Allahabad High Court order that had allowed the appointment of an Advocate Commission to conduct a survey of the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah complex in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura.

On December 14, the Allahabad High Court had allowed the appointment of the commission. The Supreme Court on Tuesday has directed that the Allahabad High Court order will not be implemented till further orders.

The bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued the order on grounds that the application filed by the Hindu devotees seeking the survey was “vague”.

The Supreme Court has made it clear that it is not barring the High Court from continuing to hear the other issues involved in the matter.

The top court has issued a notice to the Hindu devotees to respond to the plea filed by the Masjid trust. The matter will now be heard on January 23.

The Shahi Idgah Masjid trust has challenged the December 14 decision of the Allahabad High Court with the argument that the pleas filed by the Hindu Devotees laying claim to the Idgah mosque structure are barred by the Places of Worship Act 1991. It has also been argued that the petitions of Hindu devotees are not maintainable since there were judgements by the Courts in 1973 and 1974 upholding the settlement agreement between the Temple trust and the Mosque trust.

Over a dozen petitions are pending before the Allahabad High Court concerning the Idgah complex, claiming that the mosque was constructed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb by demolishing a temple on Lord Krishna’s birthplace.