Mon May 19 18:25:11 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:

**Summary:**

The Allahabad High Court has upheld a lower court’s decision to survey the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, India. Hindu plaintiffs claim the mosque was built in 1526 by Mughal emperor Babur after demolishing a Hindu temple. The mosque committee argued the dispute was settled in 1877, but the High Court noted the mosque was declared a protected monument in 1920. The court stated the survey did not constitute a conversion of a place of worship. It also argued the mosque committee subjected to archaeological laws in 1904 and 1958 could not invoke the Places of Worship Act of 1991 to prevent the survey.

**News Article:**

**Allahabad High Court Upholds Survey of Sambhal Mosque Amidst Temple Dispute**

**New Delhi – May 19, 2025** – The Allahabad High Court ruled today to uphold a lower court’s decision allowing a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The decision comes amidst a long-standing dispute, with Hindu plaintiffs claiming the mosque was constructed on the site of a demolished Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu’s Kalki avatar in 1526 by Mughal emperor Babur.

The mosque committee challenged the survey order, arguing that the dispute had already been settled in 1877. However, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal dismissed this argument, citing the fact that the mosque was declared a protected monument in 1920 under the Act of 1904.

The High Court emphasized that the survey does not represent a conversion of a place of worship or a change in its religious character. Instead, it noted that the Hindu petitioners are seeking access to a protected monument. The court further stated that the mosque committee’s prior agreements subjecting the structure to archaeological preservation laws (1904 and 1958) preclude them from invoking the Places of Worship Act of 1991, which aims to maintain the religious character of places of worship as of August 15, 1947.

“Once, it is an admitted position that the structure in question has been declared as a protected monument in 1920 and the same remained unchallenged till date, it is bound to be governed by provisions of law which existed when the notification was made and, thereafter, the laws enacted to govern such protected monument,” the court stated.

A previous survey attempt last November was followed by communal violence in Sambhal, resulting in the deaths of four people. The situation remains sensitive, and the upcoming survey will likely be closely monitored.

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