Allahabad HC asks Centre, ASI to file counter-affidavit in ‘Tejo Mahalaya’ dispute
A general view of High court of Allahabad | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Allahabad High Court on Monday (July 6, 2026) asked the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to file a counter-affidavit on a writ petition seeking a declaration that the Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya temple is present inside the Taj Mahal premises. The petition was filed on July 3 by the Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya temple, Hari Shankar Jain and four others. Mr. Hari Shanker Jain submitted before the court that his application for appointing an advocate commissioner as well as for photography of premises in dispute was wrongly rejected by the trial court, and thereafter, the revision was dismissed as not maintainable. Though the same is necessary for the adjudication of a dispute. After hearing Mr. Jain, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal asked the Central government as well as ASI to file a counter-affidavit in the matter and also issued notice to Pankaj Kumar Verma, who is the respondent No 4 in the writ petition. The …









