E-Paper
KV temple-Gyanvapi mosque case: HC adjourns hearing till July 22
Allahabad HC had on March 24, 2022 directed to hear KV temple-Gyanvapi mosque case along with all connected matters on a regular basis till their conclusion
The Allahabad high court on Friday adjourned the hearing in the Kashi Vishwanath (KV) temple-Gyanvapi mosque issue of Varanasi till July 22.
At the request of advocate Vijay Shankar Rastogi, the counsel for the respondent, Justice Prakash Padia adjourned the hearing of the petition filed by the Anjuman Intazamia Masjid of Varanasi challenging the maintainability of the original suit filed in 1991 in the Varanasi district court seeking restoration of the ancient temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque currently stands. In the suit, the plea was taken that the said mosque was a part of the temple.
While adjourning the hearing, the bench observed, “Today when the matter is taken up, a mention has been made on behalf of Sri Vijay Shankar Rastogi, learned counsel appearing on behalf of plaintiff-respondents to adjourn the hearing of the present on account of his personal difficulty. As prayed, list this matter along with other connected matters for further hearing on 22.07.2022 at 2:00 p.m.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the counsel representing the temple argued if a historical wrong had been done by the previous sovereign regime or in the past, the matter could be adjudicated by a court.
On April 8 last year, the Varanasi court of civil judge (senior division) had ordered a five-member committee to oversee a “comprehensive physical survey” of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
The petitioner challenged the order passed by the Varanasi court in the high court, saying it was illegal and without jurisdiction as the high court had reserved its judgment on the maintainability of the suit pending in the Varanasi court.
Besides, the counsel for the petitioner had taken the plea that the suit, by which the order of the civil judge (senior division), fast-track court (FTC) of Varanasi (dated April 8, 2021) is under challenge, is itself not maintainable under Section 4 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, as it bars filing of suit or any other legal proceedings with respect to conversion of religious character of any place of worship, existing on August 15, 1947.
On March 24, 2022, the high court had directed to hear this case along with all connected matters on a regular basis till their conclusion.
