Allahabad HC extends stay on ASI survey of Gyanvapi complex till Thursday

The Allahabad High Court asked the ASI to halt the survey of Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi as the hearing on the matter was underway.

Published on: Jul 26, 2023, 17:32:58 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Allahabad high court on Wednesday asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to not start the survey of Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi as the hearing on the matter was underway. The Supreme Court on Monday halted till 5 pm Wednesday a "detailed scientific survey" by the ASI to determine if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi was built upon a temple, allowing time for the mosque management committee to appeal against the lower court's order.

A Varanasi court on Friday ordered a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. (PTI File)

Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, which manages the mosque, moved the high court on Tuesday to appeal against the lower court's order.

The counsel for the committee prayed for an early hearing of the case before Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker stating that there is an urgency as the apex court's order will expire on Wednesday.

The Allahabad High Court today resumed hearing a plea against a district court order directing the ASI to conduct the controversial survey.

“Since the Supreme Court stay was till 5pm today, if any of your team is present at the spot, ask them not to conduct the survey now as the hearing is going on,” Chief Justice Diwaker told an ASI officer.

Vishnu Shankar Jain, the counsel for the respondent (Hindu side), submitted that in the Ram Mandir case, a survey was conducted by the ASI and the same was accepted by the high court as well as the Supreme Court.

The mosque is located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi and Hindu litigants in the district court had sought the survey to determine whether a temple existed at the same spot earlier. The Varanasi district court on Friday ordered the ASI to conduct a survey using technologies like ground penetrating radar and excavations, if necessary.

The ASI officer assured Allahabad high court that the team won't damage or demolish any structure or its part during the survey.

The hearing will again resume on Thursday at 3.30pm.

(With PTI inputs)

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