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7 Gyanvapi cases to be heard together, says Varanasi district court
Varanasi district court orders seven cases related to the Gyanvapi complex dispute to be heard together, with Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi suit as the leading case.
VARANASI: The Varanasi district court on Tuesday ordered that seven cases of the same nature related to the Gyanvapi complex dispute will be heard together, with Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi suit being the leading case.
The court of district judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesh fixed July 7 as the next date of hearing.
“The district court, while exercising his special power, has ordered to consolidate the seven cases related to Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case and to hear them together,” said Subhash Nadan Chaturvedi, lawyer for the Hindu side. “The court said civil suit number 18 Rakhi Singh and others vs State of UP and others (Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case) shall be the leading case.”
In his order, the judge said it would be in the interest of justice that all these cases be heard together, said special advocate for Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi matter Rajesh Mishra.
“The district judge, in his order, said if all these cases remain pending in different courts, there is a possibility that contradictory orders may be passed. Whereas if all these cases remain in one court, there will be no possibility of any contradictory judgment or order in all these cases,” said Mishra.
“Citing Order 4A of the CPC [Code of Civil Procedure], the judge said it has been provided that when two or more cases are pending in the same court and the court is of the opinion that it is in the interest of justice, their joint hearing may be ordered,” he added.
The Muslim side said they would take a call on future course of action after consultation with their advocates.
“After going through the order, we will hold discussion with fellow advocates and decide our move,” said Raees Ahmad Ansari, advocate for Gyanvapi mosque management committee.
Another lawyer from the Gyanvapi panel, requesting anonymity, said they are likely to the order before a higher court.
On December 5 last year, four Hindu plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case [civil suit number 18/2022] — Lakshmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak — moved the district court, urging it to hear all the seven cases together, citing the similar nature of the cases. However, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee had opposed the plea.
The women plaintiffs have sought permission for regular worship of deities, including Shringar Gauri, located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi complex.
On April 17, the Varanasi district court had ordered to transfer all the seven cases — six of which were pending before the court of the civil judge (senior division) and one before the civil judge (senior division) fast-track court — to the district court.
After the cases were transferred last month, they were given new numbers in the district court. Civil suit number 712/2022 was given number 1, case 839/2022 was given new number 2, civil suit number 840 was given number 3, civil suit number 350 became number 4, civil suit number 245 was given number 5, civil suit number 358 was given number 6, while civil case number 925/2022 was given new number 7.
Of these, civil suit number 712/2022 (or new Number 1) has been filed on behalf of Bhagwan Adi Vishweshwar Virajman, the deity, through next friend Kiran Singh and others.
