In the case of Gyanvapi Mosque adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Banaras, the temple side has filed a new application in the Supreme Court demanding a survey of the sealed area of ​​Gyanvapi by ASI. Along with this, a demand has also been made in the application to get the Shivalinga found during the survey of the Advocate Commissioner scientifically tested by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Supreme Court agrees to hear this application of the temple side along with other petitions pending in the Gyanvapi case on October 13. This application has been filed in the Supreme Court by four women including Lakshmi Devi. The original case of the petitioner women is pending in the District Court of Banaras in which they have claimed the existence of deities in the Gyanvapi complex and have sought the right to worship there.

The women petitioners have submitted this application to the Supreme Court within the context of the ongoing special permission petition filed by the mosque's representatives. In this special leave petition initiated by the Muslim side, they have contested the Allahabad High Court's order dated May 12, 2023.

In that order, the High Court had ordered the ASI to scientifically investigate the Shivalinga found in the Gyanvapi complex during the survey by the Advocate Commissioner, but the Supreme Court, while hearing the special permission petition of the Muslim side, on May 19, gave the order of the High Court for the time being. Was postponed for, which has been postponed since then.

In the same special permission petition of the Muslim side, this new application has been filed by the temple side in which a demand has been made to conduct a scientific investigation and survey of the sealed area and Shivling by ASI. On Wednesday, the temple side's lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain mentioned this new application before the bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and urged the court to hear this application along with other petitions pending in the Gyanvapi case.

The court accepted his request and said that everyone would be heard together. The petitions related to Gyanvapi are scheduled for hearing on October 13, hence this petition will also be heard on the same day.

In the petition filed, the temple side has said that on the demand of the petitioners, on the orders of the court, ASI is currently surveying the rest of the premises except the sealed premises of Gyanvapi. The ASI survey has been going on since last August 4 and will continue for a few more days. By the orders of the Supreme Court dated 17th and 20th May 2022, the entire area where Shivlinga was found during the survey by the Advocate Commissioner is sealed. Muslims call it fountain.

It has been said in the application that the petitioners are worshipers of Lord Shiva and they have the right to worship the Shivalinga found during the survey, which the mosque side is calling a fountain. In such a situation, it becomes necessary that an expert organization like ASI should investigate the things found during the survey. ASI should examine the figure to find out its age and also check whether it is a fountain.

At present, a 50-member ASI team is surveying the remaining part of the complex. The seal area is also part of the same complex. In such a situation, to decide the case, it would be in the interest of justice that the ASI should also survey the Kund area where Shivling was found. Muslims call that area the Waju area.

It has been said in the application that the nature of the construction there, its age and the things found there should be investigated. To verify the claims of both the parties, a survey should be conducted by an expert team without causing any harm to it. Presently ASI is present there with all the cesses and is doing the survey, hence he should be instructed to survey the sealed area also.