The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea from the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order that allows the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, moved the Supreme Court on Thursday to challenge the Allahabad High Court’s order. The Muslim body’s advocate has sought an urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and has urged the bench to halt the ASI from conducting the survey.
On Thursday, the Allahabad High Court dismissed the plea of the Muslim party against the Varanasi court’s order, with Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker emphasizing the importance of the survey for the sake of justice.
Following the High Court’s judgement, a Caveat application was filed in the Supreme Court by one of the Hindu petitioners in the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque case, seeking to be heard before any order is passed in case the Muslim side files a plea against the Allahabad High Court’s decision to allow the ASI to conduct the scientific survey of the mosque premises.
A Caveat application is filed by a litigant to ensure that no adverse order is passed against them without being heard. Previously, on July 24, the Supreme Court had put a hold on the Archaeological Survey of India’s detailed scientific survey until July 26 to determine whether the mosque, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, was built upon a temple.
The order for the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex was given by Varanasi district judge AK Vishvesha on July 21, in response to an application moved by four Hindu women on May 16. However, the district judge’s order excluded the ablution pond area of the complex, which has been sealed as per the top court’s direction.
