Verdict on Plea Seeking Panel To Ascertain 'True Nature' Of Structure Found Inside Gyanvapi Complex adjourned till July 4

The Allahabad High Court has adjourned the plea moved by 7 Hindu devotees seeking formation of a committee/panel to ascertain the truth regarding the structure recently found in the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi till July 4.

The matter was fixed for delivery of judgment on Monday before the single-judge bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi but before the judgment could be delivered, the counsel for the petitioners, Advocate Ashok Pandey, apprised the court that he intends to make an oral application as provided under Article 134A of the Constitution of India for seeking a certificate as provided under Article 132 (1) of the Constitution for filing an appeal before the Supreme Court.

He argued that his oral application can only be made before the division bench which had earlier heard the matter and that bench has to decide the same.

Considering his submissions, Court directed the registry to list the matter before the division bench comprising Justice Vidyarthi and Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan on July 4.

The plea moved before the Lucknow bench of the high court, stated that it has been claimed by the Hindu side in the ongoing Gyanvapi dispute that the structure found during a videography survey of the complex is a Shivling, however, the mosque committee members have claimed it to be a part of the water fountain mechanism in the 'wazookhana' reservoir.

Therefore, demanding that the true nature of the structure must be ascertained, the plea was filed by Sarve Sri Sudhir Singh, Baba Balak Das, Shivendra Pratap Singh, and Markande Tiwari, and Rajan Rai, Ravi Mishra and Atul Kumar claiming themselves to be devotees of Lord Shiva.

To be noted, the civil suit in the dispute is pending before the court of District Judge Varanasi AK Vishvesha, who will hear it next on July 4. This civil suit was filed by 5 women seeking performance of all rituals inside the Gyanvapi complex. The report of the court ordered survey of the Gyanvapi complex, in which the concerned structure was found, was presented in court on May 19.

Case Title: Sudhir Singh And 6 Others v. Union Of Bharat Thru Its Cabinet Secy. South Block New Delhi And 3 Others