Allahabad HC notice to mosque panel on plea seeking survey of sealed area

The area in question holds a disputed structure that Hindus say is a shivling, a claim rejected by Muslims who say it is part of a ritual ablution tank

The Allahabad high court on Wednesday issued notice to the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, in a petition by a Hindu woman seeking a survey of a disputed sealed area of the 17th century mosque.

Last week, four Hindu women –Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahoo, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak – moved the Supreme Court seeking a scientific survey of the same sealed section (KK Arora)

The area in question holds a disputed structure that Hindus say is a shivling, a claim rejected by Muslims who say it is part of a ritual ablution tank.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the order on a petition filed by Rakhi Singh, challenging the Varanasi district judge’s order dated October 21, 2023 refusing to direct the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to undertake a survey of the wazukhana area.

Rakhi Singh argued that the survey of the wazukhana, excluding the disputed structure, was necessary to ascertain the religious character of the property in question.

Last week, four Hindu women –Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahoo, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak – moved the Supreme Court seeking a scientific survey of the same sealed section. This came days after the ASI survey – which was conducted last year and had excluded the sealed section – said that a large Hindu temple existed before the construction of the Gyanvapi mosque.

In her plea, Rakhi Singh stressed that the survey of the wazukhana area is necessary in the interest of justice and will benefit the plaintiff(s) and defendants alike.