The hearing on the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute case, which was scheduled to decide the structure of the commission, has been postponed by the Allahabad High Court. This decision came after the Shahi Masjid Idgah Committee filed a Special Leave petition (SLP) against the order in the Supreme Court. The apex court has fixed January 9 as the date of hearing for the SLP, resulting in the postponement of the Allahabad High Court hearing until then. Justice Mayank Jain of the Allahabad High Court is presiding over the case, which involves a total of 18 civil suits.
The court had previously ruled that the hearing would be held after obtaining the plaintiff’s objection on the maintainability petition. The court had accepted a petition to appoint a commission, and the hearings were supposed to determine the framework. However, due to the pending SLP in the Supreme Court, the hearing could not take place as scheduled. In the meantime, the court has appointed former district judge advocate Markandey Rai as the amicus curiae.
In a significant development in the ongoing Shri Krishna Janamabhoomi case, the Allahabad High Court has approved a scientific survey on the Shahi Idgah complex at Mathura. This survey will be conducted in the same manner as the one carried out at the Gyanvapi Temple in Varanasi. The court has appointed an advocate commissioner and given in-principle approval for conducting the survey at the Shahi Idgah complex.
In Mathura, nine cases have been filed regarding the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah Masjid disputes. One of these cases, filed by Ranjana Agnihotri, a resident of Lucknow, demands ownership of the 13.37 acres of land owned by Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi. Agnihotri’s suit also seeks the removal of the Shahi Idgah mosque built in Krishna Janmabhoomi. The mosque is said to have been built in 1669-70 on the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 13.37-acre premises of the Katra Keshav Dev temple, near the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
The postponement of the hearing in the Allahabad High Court and the filing of a plea in the Supreme Court by the Muslim side have further delayed the resolution of the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute. As the legal proceedings continue, the fate of the disputed land remains uncertain. The decisions in both the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court will play a crucial role in determining the future course of action in this long-standing dispute.
