Lagatar24 Desk
Prayagraj, August, 3: The Allahabad High Court approved a survey of the Varanasi Gyanvapi mosque complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Thursday.
“Allahabad High Court has said that ASI survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex will start. Sessions court order is upheld by the High Court,” Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is the attorney for the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi Survey case, said.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee’s appeal against the Archaeological study of India’s (ASI) study of the mosque complex next to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple was rejected by the Allahabad High Court.
The Varanasi District Judge’s order from July 21 had been contested by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee.
In response to a request made by four Hindu women on May 16, 2023, Varanasi district judge AK Vishvesha ordered the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex on July 21.
However, the Wuzu Khana (ablution pond area) of the complex was not included in the district judge’s ruling because it had been sealed after the order of the top court.
A detailed scientific survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to ascertain whether the mosque adjacent to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple was constructed upon a temple was put on hold by the Supreme Court until 5 p.m. July 26. Earlier, the Allahabad High Court asked that the ASI refrain from beginning the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi while the hearing on the matter is ongoing.
The district court ruling ordering the ASI to undertake the controversial survey was being challenged in court.
The Supreme Court previously amended its ruling on the Gyanvapi mosque issue, when on July 24 it inadvertently dismissed an appeal from the committee contesting the maintainability of a Hindu lawsuit filed in the trial court seeking the right to worship within the mosque.
The top court concluded the main case on July 24 while also providing relief on the interim plea by stopping the ASI survey.
In the ongoing appeal seeking a halt of ASI work, the mosque committee has petitioned the top court with its interim plea.
