SC to hear Gyanvapi Masjid row on May 19, DM to protect 'Shivling area'; Muslims' access remains

The Gyanvapi Mosque hearing in the Supreme Court took place on a plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee challenging the Allahabad high court order allowing a court-appointed commissioner to inspect, conduct a survey and videography of the complex.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday clarified that the Varanasi court order shall confine to the protection of the ‘shivling’ reportedly found but there won't be any restrictions on the entry of Muslims and offering namaz in the Gyanvapi mosque. The top court adjourned the hearing till Thursday. The top court bench comprising justices DY Chandrachud and PS Narasimha issued notices to the Hindu petitioners and the Uttar Pradesh government on the plea of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee which challenged Varanasi district court order which directed videographic survey of Gyanvapi Mosque complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.

The Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi(Shutterstock)

The top court, however, refused to stay the further proceedings before the civil judge, Varanasi who is hearing the lawsuit related to the Gyanvapi mosque.During the hearing, senior lawyer Huzefa Ahmadi while appearing for the mosque committee, said that no survey was filed by the commissioner despite being the fact that the matter was being seized off by the court. The lawyer objected to the application by lawyer representing the Hindu side which said there was a ‘shivling’ near the pond, calling it ‘improper’.

“Such proceedings had to be confidential. Trial court allows the application and sealed off the area prohibiting entry,” legal website Bar and Bench quoted the lawyer.

A local court yesterday had ordered a section of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex to be sealed after the lawyers representing the Hindu petitioners had claimed that a ‘shivling’ was recovered during the survey. In another development, a local court in Varanasi granted two more days as sought by the commission to submit the survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The court removed advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra from his post. Special advocate commissioner Vishal Singh will present the report in the court in another two days.