Shahi Idgah row: Allahabad HC hears both parties, to pronounce order on modalities of survey later

PTI, Jan 11, 2024, 5:01 PM IST

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday heard submissions of both the parties in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute and said it will pronounce the order on the modalities of a survey of the mosque complex later.

On December 14, the court had allowed a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura and said the modalities of the survey will be discussed at the next hearing.

The matter is in the court of Justice Mayank Kumar Jain.

As soon as hearing started on Thursday, a prayer was made on behalf of Muslim side for adjournment of hearing on the grounds that a special leave petition (SLP) filed against the order for survey commission is pending and likely to be heard on January 16 and further that their counsel Punit Gupta’s father passed away.

On the issue of modalities and composition of the commission which will do the survey of the Shahi Idgah premises in Mathura, counsel for plaintiff (Hindu side) said that order constituting survey team is not going to create harm to any party and the court may pass order constituting a survey team headed by any retired judge of high court.

After hearing the counsels, the court said that the order be passed later and may be made available on its portal.

On December 14, the high court had also agreed to the appointment of an advocate-commissioner to oversee the survey of the mosque, which the petitioners claim holds signs suggesting that it was a Hindu temple once.

Justice Jain while hearing a suit filed by the deity Bhagwan Shrikrishna Virajman at Katra Keshav Dev and seven others had allowed the application for commission survey.