22 doors of Taj Mahal will not be opened, says Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench on Thursday stated that the plea to form a fact-finding committee to determine the 'actual truth' about the Taj Mahal's construction is a 'non-justiciable' matter. A non-justiciable matter is one that the Court cannot consider or go into.

"We are of the opinion that the petitioner has asked us to rule on a completely non-justiciable issue," the bench stated while hearing a plea seeking directions to the Archaeological Survey of India to explore the 22 closed doors in the Taj Mahal to confirm the presence of Hindu deity idols. The petition requested that the ASI form a fact-finding committee and submit a report. 

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The bench further added that the first prayer (to form a fact-finding committee to study the Taj Mahal's 'true history') could not be adjudicated by this Court. 

Previously the bench stated that it was not convinced by the petition requesting the opening of locked rooms in the Taj Mahal. However, the bench stated that the hearing would resume in the afternoon. "Your prayers have not convinced us. What you want is to research facts through a fact-finding committee. That is not one of your rights, and the RTI Act does not cover it."

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The petitioner then questioned whether he needed to file an amended petition.

The bench was hearing a petition to open locked rooms at the Taj Mahal. Earlier in the day, the petitioner's lawyer argued that citizens of the country have a right to know about the Taj Mahal. On the other hand, the Court dismissed the petition and asked the petitioner not to make a mockery of the PIL system. The case is scheduled to be heard after lunch.

He further added that he learned that many rooms had been locked, and the authorities stated that those rooms were locked for security reasons; if many hidden things beneath the Taj Mahal, they should be out to the public.

Also read: World Heritage Day 2022: Taj Mahal to Bodh Gaya, 5 UNESCO sites in India

According to the Uttar Pradesh government, the petitioner lacks territorial jurisdiction. "How can we decide on this? What is your legal position? Where is this correct? To commission a specific study? the Court stated, in response to the petitioner's argument that he had the right under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to know what was inside the Taj Mahal's 22 rooms.

• Allahabad High Court
• Archaeological Survey of India
• Lucknow
• New Delhi
• Taj Mahal