India: Top court declines to halt ASI survey of Bhojshala Temple site cum Maula Mosque in MP

The Supreme Court of India on Monday declined to halt the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s decision for an ASI survey of the entire Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque site.

The lower courts were directed not to act on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report. However, SC maintained that no physical excavation should change the structure’s character.

The MP High Court had previously ordered ASI to conduct a ‘scientific investigation’, survey, and excavation of the site, including carbon dating over a dispute of right to ownership.

The petitioners claimed that the original Bhojshala and Vagdevi temple was dismantled to construct a mosque at the behest of Islamist rulers.