No stay on Gyanvapi survey yet: Supreme Court to hear matter at 2 PM

The Gyanvapi mosque management committee, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, has filed a plea against the order of the Varanasi district court, which directed the ASI to conduct a survey of the mosque complex located adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The Supreme Court on Monday (July 24) has decided against granting a stay on the ongoing survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex for the time being. The bench will revisit the matter and further discuss it at 2 PM today. This development follows the plea made by the Gyanvapi Masjid Committee, which sought a stay on the survey. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) initiated its survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises on Monday.

Employing modern technologies, including radar mapping, the survey aims to assess the site thoroughly. The Varanasi court had granted permission to the ASI on Friday for conducting the survey, with the exclusion of the wuzukhana (place for ablution). On Sunday, an ASI team arrived to conduct a scientific survey, investigating whether the Gyanvapi mosque is constructed atop a temple. This survey holds significant importance, considering the sensitive nature of the site and its historical and religious significance.

According to reports, the Advocate of the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav, said that an advocate for each of the petitioners will accompany the ASI team when it begins the survey. ASI has to submit the report to the district court by August 4.

The Gyanvapi mosque management committee, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, has filed a plea against the order of the Varanasi district court, which directed the ASI to conduct a survey of the mosque complex located adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Representing the mosque management committee, senior counsel Huzefa Ahmadi sought a stay on the Varanasi district court's order, asserting that it contradicts the Supreme Court's ruling. According to reports, Ahmadi stated that the district court's order instructed the ASI to survey the entire area, which, in their view, violates the Supreme Court's directives.

Ahmadi emphasized that the ASI has already commenced the survey of the mosque complex on the same day, and the committee's request is to postpone the survey for 2-3 days.

In response to the plea, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear the matter at 11.15 am today. The court directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ascertain whether the ASI is conducting any excavation work during the survey. This legal development highlights the sensitivity and significance of the issue, as it involves a site of historical and religious importance.