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ASI gets four more weeks to conduct Gyanvapi survey
The Varanasi district court on Friday granted another four weeks to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete the ongoing scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and submit its report by October 6
The Varanasi district court on Friday granted another four weeks to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete the ongoing scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and submit its report by October 6.
On August 5, the district judge’s court in Varanasi ordered ASI to survey Gyanvapi premises, except the sealed “wazukhana”, and submit its report by September 2, but the agency approached the court on the day of the deadline, seeking extension by eight weeks.
Hearing the matter on Friday, the court of district judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha granted ASI the extension by four weeks.
Confirming the order, standing counsel for the Centre, Amit Srivastava, said: “The court granted four weeks’ time to ASI for completing the survey and scientific investigation of Gyanvapi mosque complex. The court ordered ASI to complete the survey in this duration and submit a report of the survey before the court on October 6.”
The court has also asked ASI to “ensure full compliance with the order of the Varanasi district court dated July 21, 2023, the high court order dated August 3, 2023 and Supreme Court order dated August 4, 2023”.
ASI has been conducting a survey on the barricaded area of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, excluding its sealed section, since August 4.
On August 5, the court of the Varanasi district judge granted an additional four weeks to ASI to submit a report. The Varanasi court had initially ordered the survey on July 21 and asked for submission of the report by August 4.
In compliance with that order, the ASI conducted the survey for over four-and-a-half hours on July 24 after which the Supreme Court the same day (July 24) halted the exercise till 5pm on July 26 and granted liberty to the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee to approach the Allahabad high court. When the mosque committee moved the high court on July 25, it extended the stay on the survey. The high court gave its ruling on August 3 and allowed the exercise to go ahead.
AIMC moved the Supreme Court against the high court order, but the top court refused to stay the survey on August 4.
