Gyanvapi case: Allahabad HC rejects Muslim side's pleas challenging suits seeking restoration of temple

Gyanvapi case: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday turned down all petitions from the Muslim side challenging the Hindus' plea to worship at the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. The five pleas were filed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee. 

The petitions were regarding the ownership between the Gyanvapi Mosque and Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. The pleas challenged the maintainability of a civil suit pending before a Varanasi court seeking the restoration of a temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque exists at present. 

The High Court on Tuesday rejected two petitions against the maintainability of a 1991 civil suit filed by Hindu worshippers, and three against the ASI survey order.

On their part, the Muslim groups have maintained the 1991 Places of Worship Act, which provides for the status quo at holy sites as they existed in 1947 except for the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site, bars such pleas. Some of these pleas are also pending in the Supreme Court.

The High Court further ordered a Varanasi court to complete the hearing of the case within six months.

On Monday, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted its report on the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises in the Varanasi district court. The sealed cover report was submitted in the court of Varanasi district Judge A K Vishvesha.

In July, the district court asked the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvyapi mosque. The aim of the survey was to determine if the mosque had been constructed over then pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple. 

The survey was to be conducted in the entire mosque premises except the ‘wuzukhana’.

The survey was conducted after the court order but was suspended after the matter reached the Allahabad High Court, which upheld the district court’s order. 

The fresh ASI survey was the second such controversial exercise at the premises. Hindu groups claimed to have discovered a Shivling there last year.

The Muslim side maintained the structure claimed to be a Shivling was part of a ritual ablution fountain. The area remains sealed as per the Supreme Court’s orders.