Varanasi Court Orders Continuation Of Survey Of Gyanvapi Mosque Premises, Court Commissioner Not To Be Removed

A local court in Varanasi today ordered that survey work will continue to take place in the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashivishvanath temple premises and the commissioner, appointed earlier by the Court, will not be removed.

The Court has appointed 2 more lawyers as commissioners to accompany Court commissioner Ajay Mishra for the survey and further, it has been ordered the Commission to submit a report by May 17 before the court.

The court has also ordered that the entire mosque complex be surveyed and further directed that till the survey is not completed, it shall continue.

For the uninitiated, the Court, last month ordered an inspection of the premises on petitions moved by five Hindu women asking for year-long access to pray at a Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi.

The local court had earlier directed the authorities to submit a report by May 10, however, the survey could not take place as the mosque committee had opposed the videography inside the mosque.

During the survey, there was a ruckus outside the Gyanvapi campus and the masjid committee members were demanding that the survey and videography inside the mosque premises be stopped.

Thereafter, a petition was filed on behalf of the Anjuman Islamia Masajid Committee demanding the removal of Advocate Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra. After 3 days of arguments, the Court ordered that the survey of the premises shall continue.

The court also refused to remove the Advocate Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was appointed for the survey of Gyanvapi Masjid. Apart from him, the court has also made Vishal Kumar Singh and Ajay Singh court commissioners.

The Hindu parties argued that the Advocate Commissioner was not allowed to do videography and survey by the Muslim party on the other side of the barricading i.e. inside the Gyanvapi Masjid and in the basement.

It has also been said on behalf of the Hindu party that the Muslim party prevented him from going inside the Gyanvapi mosque and inside the basement saying that there is no such order of the court.

In its order, the Court has directed that DGP UP and Chief Secretary, UP Govt will supervise the entire survey process so that public officials can't delay the survey work. The District authorities have been asked to lodge FIR and ensure legal action against anyone who obstructs the survey work inside the premises. 

DGP UP (@dgpup) and Chief Secretary, UP Govt (@UPGovt) have been directed by the Court to supervise the entire survey process so that public officials can't delay the survey work.#Gyanvapi #GyanvapiMasjid #GyanvapiSurvey

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 12, 2022

"In any case, the survey work won't be stopped whether parties cooperate or they do not," the Court further ordered.