SC Dismisses Plea For Scientific Survey Of Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Premises

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to direct the scientific survey of the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah premises after the Allahabad Court refused to direct the Mathura Court to conduct the survey.

The Supreme Court asked the Allahabad Court to take a call on the issue. Meanwhile, a bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia said that there is no requirement to exercise jurisdiction as there are various issues at large pending before the Allahabad High Court.

The petition seeking the scientific survey of Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah premises was filed by Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust. Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia who represented the trust challenged the Allahabad Court, which dismissed the plea to direct the Mathura Court as they found no illegality in Mathura court's order.

Earlier, the Eidgah committee informed the Allahabad court that an appeal consolidating all suits in the high court has been filed before the Supreme Court to which the bench replied that the petition is dismissed without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties. The Allahabad Court further said that it is the high court to take a call on how to proceed with the issue.

Several legal actions concerning the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah land conflict in Mathura are still awaiting judgement in court. These cases involve a mosque located on a 13.37-acre parcel of land adjacent to a temple. The lawsuits aim to cancel a 1968 agreement between the mosque committee and the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh that permitted the mosque to remain in its present location.

The mosque committee has claimed that the suits are prohibited by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act. This act secures the "character" of all places of worship that have been in existence since August 15, 1947, with the exception of the Ram Janmabhoomi land in Ayodhya.