Supreme Court Declines To Interfere With Allahabad HC Order Directing ASI To Whitewash Sambhal Mosque Walls

The Supreme Court today (April 1) refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court order directing the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to whitewash the Sambhal Jama Mosque's exterior walls. 

The bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar was hearing the challenge to the order of the Allahabad High Court directing the ASI to whitewash the external walls of the Shahi Jama Masjid at Chandausi (Sambahl district), against which a suit has been filed contending that the mosque was built over a Hindu temple.

Advocate Barun Sinha, the counsel for the petitioner Satish Kumar Aggarwal, submitted that the High Court was wrong in asking the ASI to whitewash the moque walls. 

The bench, refusing to interfere in the impugned order, dismissed the petition by recording: 

"We are not inclined to entertain the present petition. Dismissed"

In March, the Allahabad High Court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out the whitewashing of the Sambhal Jama Masjid within one week, in accordance with the agreement signed in 1927 between the mosque management committee and the ASI.

The ASI has been asked to carry out whitewashing on those parts where whitewashing is required. The High Court has also directed the mosque committee to reimburse ASI for the costs incurred in the whitewashing within one week of the work being completed.

The committee had sought permission to whitewash and clean the mosque before the Ramzan month.

Notably, the Apex Court is also seized of the petition filed by the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee challenging the trial court's order passed on November 19, 2024, directing an Advocate Commissioner to survey the mosque in a suit which claimed that the Mughal era structure was built after destroying an ancient temple.

Case Details : SATISH KUMAR AGGARWAL Versus COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT, JAMI MASJID SAMBHAL AND ORS.| Diary No. 14755-2025 

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