Allahabad high court upholds trial court order, backs Sambhal mosque survey

While upholding the trial court's survey order, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal vacated the interim stay on the Hindu plaintiffs' suit. The mosque committee had asked for the suit to be dismissed on the ground that the Hindu side's claim to the site was prima facie barred under the Places of Worship Act, 1991. The legislation prohibits conversion of any place of worship and mandates maintaining the religious character of any such site that existed on Aug 15, 1947.