The Allahabad High Court decided to hear plea on 14 July filed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board and the Gyanvapi mosque management committee that has challenged the maintainability of a suit filed before a Varanasi court, seeking the restoration of a temple at the site where the mosque exists.
The petitioners have also challenged a Varanasi court order dated April 8, 2021, directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
After a brief hearing on Friday, Justice Prakash Padia directed that the matter be put up for further hearing on July 14.
Justice Padia had reserved his judgment in the matter on November 28, 2022 after hearing both sides at length. The court had also directed that its earlier interim order that had stayed the aforesaid direction of the Varanasi court will continue till the delivery of the judgment.
However, in its order dated May 24, Justice Padia said certain clarifications were required from the counsel for the parties and put up the matter, along with other connected matters, for further hearing on Friday.
The Supreme Court had on May 19 deferred a scientific survey, including carbon dating, to determine the age of the structure, claimed to be a 'Shivling', found at the complex, saying implications of the Allahabad High Court order on it merits closer scrutiny.
After the high court order, the district court had on May 16 agreed to hear a plea for a survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of the entire Gyanvapi mosque premises located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
On Monday, Rajesh Mishra, special counsel for Gyanvapi and Adi Vishweshwar cases, told PTI that the Masjid Committee filed its objection in the court of District Judge AK Vishwesh to the petition.
Mishra said that the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee was supposed to file its objection on May 19 but could not do so due to the hearing in the Supreme Court.
Mishra said that the court has fixed July 7 for the next hearing.
In August 2021, a suit was filed in the Varanasi District Court seeking the right to regular worship of Maa Shringar Gauri and other deities whose idols the petitioners submitted are located in the mosque's complex.
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