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Gyanvapi mosque ruling: Here’a a timeline of the case
The Hindu side claimed in the lower court that a Shivling was found during the survey in complex, which was contested by the Muslim side.
A Varanasi court will on Monday pronounce its order on a plea challenging the maintainability of the suit five Hindu women have filed seeking the right to worship at the Gyanvapi Mosque compound next to the Kashi Viswanath Temple.
The Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee (AIMC), which manages the mosque, filed the plea questioning the maintainability citing the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which prohibits conversion of places of worship and provides for the maintenance of their religious character as it existed on August 15, 1947.
Here is a timeline of the case:
August 2021: The five women file the suit in the court of Varanasi’s civil judge (senior division) seeking permission for daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Gyanvapi complex
April 2022: The court appoints an advocate commissioner and orders a survey of the complex
May 6, 2022: The survey begins before AIMC’s advocates file an application a day later alleging advocate commissioner Ajai Mishra was biased
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May 12: The court refuses to remove Mishra; appoints senior advocate Vishal Singh as special advocate commissioner and orders their team to submit their report by May 17
May 14: The survey resumes and continues for two days
May 19: The team submits its report to the court
May 20: The Supreme Court transfers the case to the Varanasi district judge citing the “complexities and sensitivity of the issue”. It says will be better if a senior judicial officer having experience of over 25-30 years handles the case
May 26: The hearing begins on the maintainability of the case
August 24: Varanasi district judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha reserves his order till September 12 after both Hindu and Muslim sides complete their arguments
