The Allahabad High Court has entered a complex legal dispute surrounding the Sambhal Jama Masjid, a 16th-century mosque with contentious historical claims. During a recent hearing, the court agreed to describe the mosque as a "disputed site" following a petition from the mosque management committee seeking permission to whitewash the Mughal-era structure.

The ownership controversy stems from allegations that a Hindu temple, Harihar Mandir, was demolished by Babur to construct the mosque. A court-ordered survey previously triggered significant local tensions, resulting in large-scale violence in Sambhal last November.

The mosque committee's request for whitewashing has been challenged by Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, who argued that maintenance responsibility should rest with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rather than the local committee. Jain also claimed that the mosque committee had made unauthorized modifications to the building, potentially obscuring historical Hindu architectural elements.

Uttar Pradesh's current administration, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has been actively pursuing restoration of historical Hindu structures in the region. Adityanath stated that efforts are underway to rediscover and preserve historical pilgrimage sites and wells that he alleges were previously hidden or erased.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 10, when the ASI is expected to submit its formal response regarding the proposed whitewashing and maintenance of the historic mosque.