SC Stays Survey Of Mathura's Shahi Idgah Mosque, Pauses Allahabad HC Order

The Supreme Court put a stay on an order by Allahabad High Court to appoint commissioner to inspect Shahi Idgah mosque.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed Allahabad High Court's order appointing commissioner to inspect the mosque in connection with Mathura’s Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute, reported ANI. The apex court sought reply from Hindu outfit,  Bhagwan ShriKrishna Virajman, others on plea of mosque committee against HC order on survey of Shahi Idgah. 

The top court also allowed proceedings before Allahabad High Court to continue in cases related to dispute over shifting of Shahi Masjid Idgah in Mathura. 

"Today, the court heard about the survey order of the Allahabad High Court case which was being challenged by the Muslim side," said advocate Reena N. Singh, representing Bhagwan Sri Krishna Lalla Virajman while speaking to news agency ANI. 

"The Intezamia Committee had challenged the order and today the Supreme Court stayed the survey order only. But they have not stayed the trial. The trial at Allahabad High Court will continue...The next date of hearing is on 23rd January," she added. 

Representing the committee for Idgah Masjid, advocate Mehmood Pracha said, "Supreme Court today stayed the order of Allahabad High Court ordering a commission ordered on the basis of an application which was moved by the petitioners in this case."

"What is more important than staying the order is that the court made some very strong remarks about the petition application moved before the Allahabad High Court," he added. 

The Tuesday ruling by the apex court comes after it refused to stay Allahabad High Court's order dated December 14, 2023 which gave a nod for the primary survey of the Shahi Idgah complex adjacent to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura by a court-monitored three-member team of advocate commissioners.

Last month, the Allahabad High Court agreed to appoint advocate commissioner to oversee the survey of mosque premises. 

The petitioners have claimed that the temple holds signs suggesting that it was once a Hindu temple. 

Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute is the second temple-mosque matter in which the high court has given its nod to a survey over the past months.

Previously, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) was given a similar permission to complete the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque next to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple.