Allahabad High Court Agrees To Term Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid As 'Disputed Structure'

The Allahabad High Court has labeled the Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh a "disputed structure" after a request by the Hindu side in a hearing regarding mosque whitewashing.

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday agreed to refer to Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid as a "disputed structure".

Source : PTI

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday agreed to refer to the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh as a "disputed structure." 

The court was hearing a petition by the mosque committee seeking permission for the whitewash of the Mughal-era religious structure.  

While the Court was dictating the order of the day, Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side requested the bench to refer to the mosque as a "disputed structure," reported Live Law. 

The Court acceeded to the request and instructed the stenograpger to use the term "disputed structure" for the mosque. 

During the hearing on Tuesday, the Court took on record the objections of the Management Committee of Shahi Jama Masjid against the February 28 report of the Archaeological Survey of India. 

Whitewashing Of The Mosque 

The ASI submitted its inspection report on the mosque saying as a whole, it is in a good conditionand there is no urgency of repainting. 

Aditionally, Jain challenged the 1927 agreement between the Masjid committee and the Government of India concernign the maitenance and upkeep of the structure. 

Notably, the Masjid committee is relying on the agreement to argue that it has the authority to carry out the whitewashing of the mosque, and that ASI has no responsibility for making arrangements for this task. 

Jain objected to the argument saying that after the enforcement of 'The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, any agreement entered into between the Government and private party under the provisions of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904, has ceased to operate.

The matter has now been adjourned till March 10 when the ASI will respond to the objection raised by the Masjid committee regarding its report, which denies the need for the whitewashing of the mosque.