Allahabad High Court allows survey of Mathura mosque

The court agreed to the appointment of an advocate commissioner to oversee the survey of the mosque, which the petitioners claim holds signs suggesting that it was a Hindu temple once.

The court said the modalities of the survey will be discussed at the next hearing on December 18.

The order on the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah issue is the second temple-mosque dispute in which the high court has given its nod to a survey over the past months.

The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) recently completed a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque next to Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath temple, but has sought more time from a local court to submit its report.

According to advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, the application submitted to the high court said a lotus-shaped pillar characteristic of Hindu temples exists on the mosque premises, and an image of Hindu deity 'Sheshnag' is also present there.

It was also submitted that Hindu religious symbols and engravings are visible at the base of the pillar.

In May, the high court transferred to itself all cases related to the Mathura dispute.