Today, On 4th July, In the ongoing Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition from the Hindu side that sought to label the Shahi Idgah mosque as a ‘disputed structure’ linked to the Mathura temple.
In the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah mosque case in Mathura, the Allahabad High Court rejected a petition filed by the Hindu side which wanted to declare the Shahi Masjid as a “disputed structure.”
The petition, known as Application A-44, aimed to officially label the Shahi Idgah mosque as a “disputed structure” in court documents and future proceedings.
Filed by Advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh on behalf of the Hindu side, it is part of a broader case concerning alleged encroachment of land adjacent to the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple complex by the Shahi Idgah mosque.
The single bench led by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, currently overseeing the case, has turned down the request.
Application A-44 specifically called for the court to instruct the relevant stenographer to replace the term Shahi Idgah Mosque with “disputed structure” in all ongoing case records and future documents.
However, the Muslim side submitted a written objection opposing this request, asking that official references to the mosque remain unchanged.
After hearing arguments from both parties, the High Court rejected the petition and upheld the objection raised by the Muslim side.
This case is one of 18 petitions filed by various Hindu representatives concerning the contentious land and religious claims associated with the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi and the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura, which many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
The next hearing for this case is scheduled for August 2.
The Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura, which dates back to the Mughal era under Emperor Aurangzeb, is at the center of a dispute. It is claimed that the mosque was constructed after a temple, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, was demolished.
In 1968, a “compromise agreement” was established between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, responsible for managing the temple, and the Trust Shahi Masjid Eidgah, allowing both the mosque and the temple to coexist.
However, in recent years, multiple lawsuits have emerged challenging the validity of this agreement, with petitioners arguing that it was fraudulent and legally unsound. Many seek the right to worship at the site and are calling for the mosque’s removal.
In May 2023, the Allahabad High Court consolidated all related cases from the Mathura Court concerning this dispute. The mosque committee and the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board contested this transfer in the Supreme Court. In December 2023, the high court approved a request to appoint a court commissioner to inspect the mosque, but in January 2024, the Supreme Court issued a stay on this order, which was subsequently extended.