India’s Gujarat High Court has directed the country’s archaeological heritage authority to examine claims that a historic mosque in Bharuch was originally a Jain religious site, reviving a dispute over the religious identity and use of the centuries-old structure.

According to reports by Maktoob and India Today, the court on Friday asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the government agency responsible for protecting and preserving historical monuments, to seek instructions on petitions filed by five members of the Jain community. The next hearing is scheduled for October 13.

The petitioners have asked the court to declare the 14th-century Bharuch Jama Masjid, also known as Jami Masjid, as Ashvabodh Tirth and Shakunika Vihar, which they claim were its original religious identities.

They have also sought permission for Jain worship at the site and immediate protection of an idol of Lord Mallinath, the 19th Tirthankara in Jainism, reportedly found in the building’s basement in June 2026.

During the hearing, the petitioners argued that the structure’s architectural features and references in ancient Jain literature supported their claim that it was originally a Jain religious site. They also challenged its identification as a mosque in a 1909 gazette, arguing that the classification was erroneous.

The petitioners expressed concern that the idol and other religious artefacts could be damaged. Their counsel also alleged that some pillars at the site had been targeted for damage and sought interim measures to protect the objects and features they consider significant to Jain worship.

According to India Today, Justice Nisha Thakore noted the archaeological authority’s responsibility to protect and preserve historically significant monuments under India’s Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, before directing its counsel to seek instructions on the petitioners’ submissions.

The court has not ruled on the petitioners’ claim that the mosque was originally a Jain temple. The matter will be heard again on October 13.

The case also raises questions about India’s Places of Worship Act, 1991, which generally prohibits changing the religious character of a place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. The law has become a central point of contention in several disputes over religious sites across India.