The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking recognition of Mathura’s disputed structure as Krishna Janam Bhoomi. The court had reserved its judgment on September 4, 2023.

The PIL, moved by advocate Mehak Maheshwari in 2020, had also sought the handover of the disputed structure to Hindus.

The petitioner had contended that various historical records cite the factum that the disputed structure is the actual birthplace of Shri Krishna. Regarding the bar placed by the Places of Worship Act, 1991, advocate Maheshwari submitted that since the land had always been a temple land, no question of changing its nature arose.

The PIL, therefore, pleaded that the temple’s land should be handed over to Hindus and a proper trust of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi be formed for building a temple on the disputed site.

The petitioner had also made a prayer for a court-monitored GPRS-based excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of the disputed structure, which is built over Shri Krishna Janmasthan.

Significantly, in May, this year, the Allahabad High Court had got all the suits related to Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi pending in Mathura court transferred to itself.

The birthplace of Shri Krishna is occupied by the disputed structure. The original temple was demolished by the Islamic invader Aurangzeb.