Read Time: 05 minutes

Synopsis

The Allahabad High Court today extended the stay as put by the Supreme Court on survey of the entire Gyanvapi premises except for the Wazukhana area by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) till tomorrow.

The bench of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker said that the court will hear the matter again tomorrow at 3:30 pm. 

The high court passed the order in the plea moved by Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee, Varanasi against the order of the Varanasi Court passed on July 21 directing the ASI to conduct a survey of Gyanvapi without causing any damage. 

Varanasi District Court on Friday last week allowed the plea moved by four Hindu worshippers seeking a survey of the entire Gyanvapi premises except for the Wazukhana area by ASI, as per news reports. 

The Hindu worshippers are seeking an ASI survey of the entire Gyanvapi claiming that it was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple and the ASI survey will unravel the truth.

The application had been filed in the suit pending before the local court for year-round permission to worship Hindu gods inside Gyanvapi.

The contention of the plaintiffs in the said suit is that “Asthan Lord Adi Visheshwar, Jyotirlinga” was damaged in 1669 under the orders of Mughal Ruler Aurangzeb but “Maa Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh and other subsidiary deities” continued to exist within the ancient temple, which is claimed by Muslims to be part of the “Gyanvapi Mosque”.

The court of District Judge AK Vishwesha had reserved the verdict on the Hindu worshipper’s plea on July 15.

The Allahabad High Court has already allowed an ASI survey/ scientific survey of the alleged Shivlingam found at Gyanvapi for evaluation of its age.

The high court had tabled the verdict on May 12, 2023, in a revision petition filed by the Hindu plaintiffs against the dismissal of their application seeking a scientific probe of the Shivlingam-like structure by the District Judge.

It is to be noted that a Shivlingam-like structure was found inside the Wazookhana of the Gyanavpi complex on May 16, 2022, during a survey by the court-appointed commission.

It is the Hindu plaintiffs' claim that the structure found inside the Wazookhana of the mosque complex is a Shivalingam, however, the claim is contested by the Muslim side who argue that it is actually a non-functioning old fountain.

Soon after Varanasi Court's order on July 21, the mosque management committee had moved the Top Court which stayed the ASI survey till 5:00 pm, July 26, i.e. today. 

Case Title: C/M Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi Vs. Smt. Rakhi Singh And 8 Others