Allahabad High Court Upholds Survey Order for Shahi Jama Masjid
The Allahabad High Court has upheld a lower court's order for a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, rejecting the Muslim side's petition. The court found no issues with the survey's validity, stating that the findings will be included in the official record. Advocate Hari Shankar Jain expressed readiness for any potential appeal to the Supreme Court. The ruling clarifies the authority of the civil judge in ordering the survey, which was conducted in two phases. This decision follows previous directives from the Supreme Court regarding the mosque's management committee's responses to local authorities. Read on for more details about this significant ruling.
May 19, 2025, 15:03 IST
Court Decision on Shahi Jama Masjid Survey
The Allahabad High Court has confirmed the lower court's directive for a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, dismissing the petition from the Muslim side. The court found no issues with the lower court's ruling. Advocate Hari Shankar Jain from Ghaziabad stated that the court rejected the arguments presented by the Muslim side, affirming that the survey was conducted appropriately. The findings from the survey will be documented as part of the official record. Should the Muslim side choose to appeal to the Supreme Court, we are prepared to welcome that challenge.
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A single bench led by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal delivered the verdict, dismissing the Muslim side's claims. The High Court had reserved its decision after concluding hearings on the civil revision petition filed by the mosque committee on May 13. Previously, the Sambhal mosque management committee had submitted a civil revision petition seeking to halt the ongoing proceedings in the lower court regarding the original case.
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Advocate Gopal Sharma, representing the Hindu side, indicated that the ruling will clarify whether the senior civil judge in Sambhal has the authority to order the survey. Sharma noted, "We filed the petition on November 19, 2024. The court had ordered the survey, which was conducted in two phases. The Jama Masjid side contested the survey in the Supreme Court, which directed them to approach the High Court." Earlier, on April 29, the Supreme Court granted the management committee of Shahi Jama Masjid two weeks to respond to the status report from Uttar Pradesh authorities, which stated that the disputed well is located outside the mosque.