On Monday, the Allahabad High Court dismissed the petition filed by Muslim parties contesting a decision from a Varanasi court that permitted Hindu parties to conduct prayers and rituals in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi Mosque.

The decision was delivered by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal.

The single judge had reserved the order on February 15 regarding the matter. The plea was filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, contesting a district court order from January 31, which allowed Hindu prayers to be conducted in the southern cellar or basement (tekhana) of the Gyanvapi Mosque. This order was issued amidst an ongoing civil court case concerning conflicting claims regarding the religious nature of the Gyanvapi compound.

Among other claims, the Hindu side asserts that Hindu prayers were previously conducted by the family of Somnath Vyas in the cellar of the mosque until 1993 when the government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav purportedly halted it. In opposition, the Muslim side denies this assertion and contends that Muslims have consistently maintained possession of the mosque's premises. The primary dispute regarding the Gyanvapi compound revolves around the Hindu side's claim that a portion of an ancient temple on the land was demolished during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century.

Consequently, the Hindu side has requested direction to offer prayers within the complex. Conversely, the Muslim side has asserted that the mosque existed prior to Aurangzeb's rule and has undergone several modifications over time.