Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday (December 10) adjourned till December 17 hearing of a plea filed by the Hindu side seeking a survey of the ‘wazukhana’ area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Rakhi Singh, who is one of the plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri worshipping suit before a Varanasi court, has moved the High Court challenging an order of a Varanasi court rejecting her plea seeking a direction to the ASI to carry out a survey of the ‘wazukhana’ area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
Apex Court is likely to hear a related plea on December 16, High Court was informed
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal adjourned the hearing on the plea by Rakhi Singh till December 17 after the court was informed that the Supreme Court is likely to hear a related plea on December 16, news agency PTI reported.
What has the Hindu side submitted before the High Court?
Rakhi Singh has submitted in her plea before the High Court that the survey of the ‘wazukhana’ (ablution) area inside the Gyanvapi mosque is necessary in the interest of justice and the survey shall benefit both – the plaintiffs and defendants – alike and help the court arrive at a just decision. The plea has further said that it is possible to survey the ‘wazukhana’ area (except for the ‘shivling’) inside the Gyanvapi mosque using non-invasive methods as has been directed by the top court.
The Gyanvapi mosque management committee had earlier filed its counter affidavit before the high court, submitting that the matter relating to ‘wazukhana’ and purported ‘shivling’ is already pending before the Supreme Court.
Varanasi court earlier directed ASI ssurvey of entire mosque except ‘wuzukhana’
A Varanasi court had earlier, while hearing a plea filed by the Hindu side, directed the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the entire Gyanvapi Mosque premises except “wuzukhana”. Following the direction of the court, the scientific survey was carried out by the ASI and a report was later submitted to the Varanasi court.