LUCKNOW: In the ongoing legal battle over the Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, the Allahabad High Court on Friday rejected the Hindu side’s plea to declare the Shahi Idgah Mosque, situated on Shree Krishna Janmabhoomi premises, a “disputed structure”. The petition had sought an official designation of the mosque as a disputed site in court records and all further proceedings.The single-judge bench, comprising Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, dismissed the plea orally, saying the application filed by the Hindu side in this regard is being dismissed “at this stage”. The judgment, which was reserved on May 23, is being seen as a significant relief for the Muslim litigants in the long-standing legal battle.Notably, advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh, appearing for the Hindu side, had filed an application on March 5 this year, urging the court to declare the Shahi Idgah Mosque as a disputed structure. The contention of the petitioner was that the mosque was built through encroachment and lacked legal documentation proving ownership or religious designation.The Hindu side asserted that the structure could not be called a mosque in the absence of land ownership documents, municipal records, or tax filings. So far, four hearings have taken place in the single-judge bench.Besides this petition, 18 other related petitions filed by the Hindu side have been clubbed by the High Court, and they remain pending before it. All the petitions primarily seek the removal of alleged illegal encroachments from the premises of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, currently referred to as the Shahi Idgah Masjid.
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