The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has announced that it will install a new signboard outside the historic Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal, renaming it “Juma Masjid” instead of the currently displayed “Shahi Jama Masjid.”

The ASI claimed that this change aligns with historical documentation and official records.

According to an ASI official quoted by The Indian Express, the move is based on a 1927 agreement between the Government of India and the mosque committee, which refers to the structure as “Juma Masjid.” The ASI also maintains the same name in its protected monument records.

“During the arguments in the Allahabad High Court regarding a petition for whitewashing the mosque before Ramzan recently, a debate arose in court regarding the mosque’s original name,” the official said, adding that there should be no objection to the update.

“A 1927 agreement between the Government of India and the mosque committee refers to it as Juma Masjid, and the structure is referred to as the same in ASI records. We are just calling the structure by its original name…no one should have any objection,” the official added.

The existing green signboard will be replaced with a blue one, in line with ASI’s standard signage for protected monuments.

The mosque’s name recently became the subject of legal arguments in the Allahabad High Court, during a hearing over a petition regarding whitewashing the mosque ahead of Ramzan.