Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday is expected to give its judgment related to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducting a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi, except the Wazukhana that contains a structure claimed to be a Shivling.
Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday demanding to seal plot number 9130 on the Gyanvapi campus.
The PIL stated that the entry of non-Hindus should be banned so that the symbols found in the survey (Trident, Lotus, and Swastika) are not harmed.
Gyanvapi case: Allahabad HC expected to announce verdict on survey by ASI today
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“A PIL has been filed in Allahabad High Court demanding that plot number 9130 in the Gyanvapi campus should be sealed. According to it, the entry of non-Hindus is also banned so that the symbols found in the survey (Trident, Lotus, and Swastika) should not be harmed,” petitioner Advocate Saurabh Tiwari told ANI.
Earlier the Allahabad High Court asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to not start the survey of Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi as the hearing on the matter is underway after Supreme Court put on hold till 5 pm July 26 a detailed scientific survey by the ASI to determine if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi was built upon a temple.
The court was hearing a plea against a district court order directing the ASI to conduct the controversial survey.
Supreme Court earlier corrected its order in relation to the Gyanvapi mosque case whereby on July 24 it inadvertently disposed of an appeal of the committee questioning the maintainability of a suit by Hindus in the trial court seeking worship rights inside the mosque.
While granting the relief on the interim plea by staying ASI survey, the top court disposed of the main case on July 24.
The mosque committee had moved the top court with its interim plea in the pending petition seeking a stay of ASI work.
On July 21, Varanasi district judge AK Vishvesha ordered the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex on an application moved by four Hindu women on May 16, 2023.
The order of the district judge, however, excluded the ablution pond area of the complex, which has been sealed on the order of the top court.
On May 12 this year, the Allahabad High Court allowed the scientific survey of this purported “shivling” but the top court stayed this order on May 19.
During the survey, a structure — claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side — was found in the mosque premises on May 16 last year during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The High Court on May 12 set aside the Varanasi District judge’s order which had rejected the application for a scientific survey and carbon dating of the “Shivling” on October 14, 2022.
The High Court had directed the Varanasi District judge to proceed, in accordance with the law, on the application by the Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the “Shivling”.
Petitioners Laxmi Devi and three others had filed a plea in the High Court, challenging the order lower court order.
