Allahabad HC dismisses plea seeking disposal of application for survey of Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah premises

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a writ petition filed by the Shri Krishna Janambhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust requesting the court to direct the Mathura civil judge to decide its application for scientific survey of Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque premises first before deciding the objections raised against the suit.

The objections against the suit were raised by the management committee of the mosque and Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board.

Justice Jayant Banerjee dismissed the writ petition filed by the Trust after hearing counsel for the petitioner, Suresh Kumar Maurya, and counsel for the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, Punit Kumar Gupta.

In January this year, the Trust had filed a suit before the civil judge, Mathura, along with a map with a request to protect its interest as well as constitutional rights.

It was further requested that Krishna Janmbhoomi be restored at the place where the Shahi Masjid Idgah presently exists.

However, the management committee of Shahi Masjid Idgah and UP Sunni Central Waqf Board filed their objections regarding the maintainability of the aforesaid suit, saying that the suit is barred by Places of Worship Act, 1991, which provides that nature of any place of worship cannot be altered as existed on August 15, 1947.

The Shri Krishna Janambhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust, through its president Ashutosh Pandey, had requested the high court to direct the civil court at Mathura to decide its application for scientific survey first.