The Allahabad High Court has upheld a trial court’s order directing a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, in a case where Hindu plaintiffs allege that the mosque was constructed in 1526 after demolishing a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu’s Kalki avatar. The High Court dismissed the mosque committee’s plea challenging the survey, stating that the plaintiffs’ suit is not prima facie barred under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits changing the religious character of places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947 .

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted that the mosque is a centrally protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and is not designated as a religious place in official records. The ASI further argued that there is no historical, archaeological, or revenue evidence supporting the term ‘Shahi Masjid’ .

The trial court had previously ordered the survey in November 2024, which was temporarily stayed by the Supreme Court until the High Court reviewed the mosque committee’s petition. With the High Court’s recent decision, the survey is set to proceed, allowing for further examination of the mosque’s origins and the claims made by the plaintiffs.

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