SC refuses to halt Allahabad High Court order on Krishna Janmabhoomi survey
Hindu outfits sought a survey claiming that the mosque in Mathura was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb at the birthplace of Lord Krishna
The Supreme Court on Friday (December 15) refused to put on hold an Allahabad High Court order calling for a scientific survey at Mathura’s Shahi Idgah complex which Hindus say was built at the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
“The Supreme Court has refused to stay the proceedings and … has fixed the matter so far as challenge to the transfer order is concerned on 9th of January,” said Vishnu Shankar Jain, a lawyer for the Hindu side. “The (Allahabad) high court order will continue and the high court will proceed with the matter and there is no stay by the Supreme Court,” he said.
Hindu outfits have sought to survey claiming that the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb at the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The demand was admitted by a local court in December last year but the Muslim side had filed an objection in the Allahabad High Court. However, the high court had on Thursday approved the conduct of a scientific survey at the Mathura shrine.
The high court on Thursday appointed an advocate commissioner and gave in-principle approval for the survey. The modalities of the commission of advocates for the survey will be decided on December 18.
Earlier, Lucknow resident Ranjana Agnihotri filed a suit demanding the ownership of 13.37 acres of land of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi. In her suit, she called for the removal of the Shahi Idgah mosque built at Krishna Janmabhoomi.
The Muslim side had earlier sought to dismiss the petition by citing the Places of Worship Act of 1991, which maintains the religious status of any place of worship as it was on August 15, 1947.