Legal disputes over religious sites in Uttar Pradesh

3 entries over 46 days, from 4 July 2026 to 18 August 2026.

01
4 July

Allahabad HC on acquisition of religious sites

The Allahabad High Court ruled that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, does not prevent the State from acquiring religious properties for genuine public purposes.
The court clarified that the 1991 Act is intended to maintain the religious character of places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947.
The Act prohibits the conversion of a place of worship from one religious denomination to another.
The court distinguished between the conversion of religious character and the State's sovereign power to acquire land for secular, public infrastructure projects such as road widening.
The ruling was delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justice J.J. Munir and Justice Arun Kumar in the context of a petition regarding the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project.

02
7 July

The Allahabad High Court has issued notices to the Union government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) regarding a plea for a survey of the Taj Mahal.
The petition challenges an earlier order by an Agra court that had refused to direct a survey of the monument.
Petitioners claim the Taj Mahal was originally a temple dedicated to Lord Siva and have requested permission for Hindu prayers to be held at the site.
The Taj Mahal is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The legal counsel for the petitioners has been involved in other high-profile religious site disputes, including the Ram Janmabhoomi, Krishna Janmabhoomi, and Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi cases.

03
18 August

Allahabad High Court addressed a dispute involving the acquisition of a 1,512-square-metre plot of land belonging to the Sugriv Kila temple in Ayodhya.
The State authorities took possession of the land in December 2023 for development projects related to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
The temple alleged that the State failed to pay ₹1.21 crore of the agreed ₹1.38 crore sale consideration.
The State government later claimed the land was 'Nazul' (government) land, despite having previously executed a sale deed.
The High Court criticized the State for retaining possession of the land while simultaneously challenging the temple's title in a separate civil suit.
The Court ordered the State to deposit the unpaid amount of ₹1,20,96,000 with 8% annual interest within four weeks.
The Court directed the trial court to expedite the pending civil suit regarding the ownership dispute, aiming for a conclusion within one year.

Newest first. A story that ran for 46 days is exactly the kind the mains paper asks about as one question.

Discuss the legal and ethical implications of the State retaining possession of private property while simultaneously challenging its title in civil courts. How does this impact the principle of 'due process' in land acquisition? 150 words · 18 August
Examine the concept of 'Nazul' land in the context of urban development and land acquisition in India. Analyze the challenges faced by the judiciary in balancing state development requirements with the protection of private property rights under Article 300A of the Constitution. 250 words · 18 August
Discuss the role of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the preservation and management of protected monuments in India. How does the ASI balance its conservation mandate with competing claims over historical sites? 150 words · 7 July
Discuss the scope of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, in the context of balancing religious freedom with the State's power of eminent domain for public infrastructure development. 150 words · 4 July

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