Gyanvapi | Mosque Committee Files Fresh Application Before Varanasi Court To 'Immediately Stop' Ongoing ASI Survey
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, has filed a fresh application before the Court of District Judge to 'immediately stop' the ongoing ASI Survey of the Mosque premises.The application states that the Varanasi Court's July 21 order for the ASI Survey was given in the suit filed by 4 plaintiffs to worship Shringar Gauri at the disputed...
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, has filed a fresh application before the Court of District Judge to 'immediately stop' the ongoing ASI Survey of the Mosque premises.
The application states that the Varanasi Court's July 21 order for the ASI Survey was given in the suit filed by 4 plaintiffs to worship Shringar Gauri at the disputed site, however, the plaintiffs failed to deposit the money to bear the expenses incurred during the ASI survey as per Rule 70 of the General Civil Rule and therefore, a direction be issued to stop the survey.
GYANVAPI | Anjuman Mosque Committee has moved a fresh application before the #VaranasiCourt to immediately STOP the ongoing #ASISurvey of the #GyanvapiMosque premises.The application says that the plaintiffs in the suit have not filed expenses of the commission. pic.twitter.com/3W1aVnNkIw— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) August 9, 2023
The application also submits that no written or oral information has been given about the survey by the authority, nor has any time been fixed for the same and despite this, the ASI has been conducting the survey, which, the application says is not proper and hence, it prays that the same be stopped.
"That the ASI The survey work being done by the is being done contrary to the procedure prescribed in the law which is illegal. Which is necessary and justified to be stopped with immediate effect," the application avers.
The Hindu plaintiffs have been given time till August 17 to file their reply/objection to this application.
It may be noted that the ASI is presently conducting a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi as per the July 21 order of the Varanasi District Judge to determine if the mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple. Today was the sixth consecutive day of the survey.
On August 4, the Supreme Court refused to stop the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from carrying out a survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque at Varanasi, except the 'wuzukhana' area where a 'shivling' was claimed to have been found last year.
Taking on record an undertaking made on behalf of the ASI that no excavation would be done at the site and no damage will be caused to the structure, the Court allowed the survey to take place.
The Court ordered thus while disposing of a petition filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque at Varanasi) challenging Allahabad High Court order (of August 3) which permitted the ASI survey.
On July 21, Varanasi District Judge directed the Director of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a “scientific survey” of the Gyanvapi mosque premises except for the area that was sealed earlier (wuzukhana) to find out if the same has been built over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple. This order was upheld by the Allahabad HC on August 3.