Gyanvapi Mosque case: Mosque panel files objection to plea seeking ASI survey

The court will now hear the matter on July 7.

On May 16, a petition praying that a scientific survey be done of the entire Gyanvapi mosque complex was filed. The petition was filed on behalf of five women, who had earlier filed the petition seeking permission to be allowed to pray at a “Shringar Gauri Sthal” inside the complex. It was in response to this petition that a Civil Judge (Senior Division), Varanasi, ordered a videographic inspection. During the inspection that concluded on May 16 last year, a structure — claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side — was found on the mosque premises.

Earlier, on May 19 the Supreme Court deferred the implementation of Allahabad High Court order of “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of a “Shivling” said to have been found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. “These are matters where one has to tread a little carefully,” Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said.

Issuing a notice on an appeal filed by the mosque management committee challenging the High Court order, a three-judge bench presided by the CJI said: “Since the implications of the High Court order would merit closer scrutiny, we direct that the implementation of the directions in the HC order shall stand deferred till the next date”.

While a trial court earlier rejected a plea by the Hindu side for a scientific survey of the “Shivling”, the Allahabad HC, on May 12, ordered the survey.