Uttar Pradesh: Gyanvapi Mosque Management Moves Allahabad High Court Against Scientific Survey

Last week, a district court in Varanasi approved a petition seeking a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The survey was then stopped by the Supreme Court till 5 pm on Wednesday, giving time to the mosque management to appeal the order in the Allahabad High Court.

The High Court on Tuesday posted the matter for Wednesday. The petitioner's lawyer said the matter would be heard at 9:10 am.

The various petitions related to the Gyanvapi complex stem from an initial petition filed by five Hindu devotees in August 2021, which sought rights to pray daily before Hindu idols on the outer walls of Gyanvapi Mosque. The mosque is located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple. In the hearing of the petition, a videography survey was ordered. During the survey, the 'Shivling' was found close to the 'wazookhana' —ablution pond— in the mosque.?

Hindu litigants in the district court had sought the survey to determine whether a temple existed at the same spot earlier, reported PTI.?

The Varanasi district court had ordered the ASI Friday to conduct a survey using technologies like ground penetrating radar and excavations, if necessary, according to PTI.

Puneet Gupta, lawyer for the mosque management, told media that Allahabad HC Chief Justice himself has taken up the hearing of the case.?