Only residents of Agra can offer namaz at Taj Mahal: Supreme Court

The Friday namaz at the Taj Mahal will be restricted to residents of Agra, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday.

The court dismissed a petition challenging a January 24 order of Agra’s additional district magistrate (city) barring non-residents from offering Friday prayers at the Taj Mahal complex on the grounds of security.

A bench of justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said that it could not allow one of the seven wonders of the world to be “decimated”. Locals will be allowed to offer prayers on furnishing identify proof, the January 24 order had said. This was challenged by a local resident.