In a significant development regarding the ongoing Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute in Mathura, the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Allahabad High Court’s decision to implead the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as parties in the case.
The dispute, which centers around the historical site claimed by Hindu litigants as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, saw a pivotal ruling by the Allahabad High Court on March 5, 2025. The High Court permitted amendments to two lawsuits, allowing petitioners to include the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and ASI as respondents.
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar of the Supreme Court bench stated that there was “prima facie nothing wrong” in the High Court’s decision to allow the amendments. “One thing is clear. The amendment to the original plaint by the Hindu plaintiffs has to be allowed,” Chief Justice Khanna remarked.
The amendment was contested by the Committee of Management, Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah, Mathura, which argued that the change “fundamentally altered the nature of the original suit” filed by the Hindu litigants. They claimed that the amendment undermined their defense and allowed the plaintiffs to establish a new case.
Despite the mosque committee’s objections, the High Court’s ruling stood, permitting the additional impleading of the ASI and MHA, albeit without a formal application under the Civil Procedure Code or proof that they were necessary parties to the suit.
On April 4, the Supreme Court issued notices on a separate plea by the mosque committee against the Allahabad High Court’s decision to consolidate all suits from the Hindu side relating to the dispute. Previously, on October 23 of the last year, the High Court had rejected a plea from the mosque committee seeking to recall its January 11 order, which consolidated all Hindu suits in the case.
The controversy has deep historical roots, tied to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb-era Shahi Idgah mosque, which the Hindu claimants allege was built after demolishing a temple at Lord Krishna’s birthplace.
