New Delhi, August 3, 2023: The Allahabad High Court has dismissed the petition filed by the Anjuman Mosque Committee challenging the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. The court’s decision now paves the way for the conduct of the much-debated survey.
In its ruling, the court stated, “Issue of commission is permissible. Varanasi Court justified. The scientific survey is necessary in the interest of justice,” as reported by legal website Live Law.
The development comes after Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker reserved the order a week ago, with a stipulation that the survey would not take place until the court’s final verdict was out.
The Anjuman Mosque Committee had previously contested the Varanasi District Court’s order, which had permitted the ASI to conduct a survey of the complex, with the exception of the wazukhana area.
The district judge of Varanasi, AK Vishvesha, had issued the order on July 21 following an application filed by four Hindu women on May 16, 2023. The purpose of the survey was to scientifically assess the mosque to ascertain whether the “present structure” had been “constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.”
The mosque committee had challenged the district court’s order by arguing that such a survey to collect evidence should be conducted at a later stage in the case after both parties had submitted their evidence. It raised concerns that the excavation work involved in the survey might damage the structural integrity of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The decision of the Allahabad High Court is seen as a significant step in resolving the contentious issue surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The ASI survey is expected to provide crucial insights into the historical and architectural aspects of the site, adding clarity to the ongoing debate.
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