Today, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began working on a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.

According to the ASI authoroty, the survey began today at around 7 am.

The ASI team members, along with the representatives of the Hindu petitioners to a legal dispute involving the mosque, were present inside the complex under watertight security arrangements.

On the contrary, the members of the muslim committee have boycotted the survey. The representatives of the committee who were to accompany the ASI team for the survey abstained from doing so.

The survey began after the Allahabad High Court on Thursday upheld a Varanasi district court order and ruled that the proposed step is "necessary in the interest of justice" and will benefit both sides.

The order came after the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, representing the Muslim side to the legal dispute, moved the Supreme Court against the Varansi district court order.