Gyanvapi case: Hearing to resume in Supreme Court today

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 19

The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred to Friday the hearing on a petition filed by the Committee of Management of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order permitting a local court-appointed commissioner to inspect, conduct survey and videograph the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud deferred the hearing after advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain submitted that advocate Hari Shankar Jain, who represented the Hindus before theVaranasi court, was indisposed. The top court asked the Varanasi court, which was scheduled to hear the matter today, to desist from proceeding further and posted the matter for hearing on Friday at 3 pm.

Meanwhile, a PTI report said, the Varanasi court hearing the Gyanvapi case on Thursday posted the matter to May 23 for the next hearing. Earlier today, the Varanasi court-appointed commission submitted its report on the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex to the District Civil Judge.

The top court had on Tuesday ordered protection of the area where a ‘Shivling’ was reported to have been found at the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex in Varanasi even as it clarified that there should be no restriction on Muslims offering namaz or other religious observances there.

Meanwhile, a petition has been filed contending that the top court had passed three orders in 1993, 1995 and 1997 directing the Centre and state governments to take all steps to safeguard Gyanvapi mosque and Kashi Vishwanath temple at Varanasi and Srikrishna temple at Mathura in light of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.

The Bench, however, refused to take note of the petition and asked the counsel to approach the Chief Justice of India.

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