Allahabad High Court seeks Centre, ASI response in ‘Tejo Mahalaya’ claim over Taj Mahal

The Allahabad High Court directed the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to file their counter-affidavits on a petition seeking a declaration that the Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya temple exists within the Taj Mahal complex.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed by the Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya temple, along with petitioner Hari Shankar Jain and four others. The court also issued a notice to respondent Pankaj Kumar Verma and listed the matter for further proceedings after the responses are filed.

The petition challenges the decisions of the Agra district courts, which had rejected an application seeking the appointment of an Advocate Commissioner to survey and photograph the disputed premises inside the Taj Mahal complex.

Appearing before the court, petitioner Hari Shankar Jain argued that appointing an Advocate Commissioner and conducting photography of the site were essential for the proper adjudication of the case. He contended that the trial court had wrongly rejected the application and that the subsequent revision petition was dismissed as not maintainable.

The dispute stems from a civil suit filed in 2015 before the Civil Judge (Senior Division) in Agra. The suit seeks a declaration that the Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya temple exists within the Taj Mahal premises.

During the pendency of the suit, the petitioners had sought the appointment of an Advocate Commissioner to inspect the site and document the disputed area. However, both the Civil Judge (Senior Division) and the Additional District Judge declined to grant the request, prompting the petitioners to move the Allahabad High Court.

The Union government, the Archaeological Survey of India and respondent Pankaj Kumar Verma have been made parties in the case. The High Court will hear the matter further after receiving the counter-affidavits from the Centre and the ASI.