Gyanvapi mosque case: Supreme Court extends protection to site where 'Shivling' was found
On September 12, the civil court rejected the mosque management committee's plea and decided to proceed with the suit. The eight-week period fixed by the apex court got triggered after that.
FollowThe Supreme Court on Friday (November 11) extended the protection of the area inside Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi where a "Shivling'' was reportedly said to have been found during the survey. The top court extended the protection till further orders of the court.
A bench, comprising of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha allowed the Hindu parties to move an application before the Varanasi district judge for consolidation of all the lawsuits filed on the Gyanvapi row.
The top court also directed the Hindu parties to file their replies within three weeks on the appeal filed by the management committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid challenging the Allahabad high court order on the appointment of a survey commissioner.
On Thursday (November 10), advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain had requested the CJI to assign an urgent date for the hearing of his application to continue with the earlier order.
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Jain, representing some of the Hindu women who filed a suit before the Varanasi civil court seeking permission to worship at the Gyanvapi mosque, pointed out that on May 17 the apex court protected the area where the Shivling was said to have been found after the Varanasi civil court allowed a videographic survey of the mosque complex adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
He said the May 17 order of securing the area was to remain operational for a period of eight weeks after the disposal of an application moved by the Gyanvapi mosque management committee before the civil court.
The mosque management committee sought dismissal of the Hindu women's suit on grounds of maintainability and for being violative of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
On September 12, the civil court rejected the mosque management committee's plea and decided to proceed with the suit. The eight-week period fixed by the apex court got triggered after that.
On Thursday, Jain submitted before the CJI that the area needed to remain protected, and that would require another order of the court extending the previous directive.
