Gyanvapi Masjid side moves SC against Allahabad HC order, SC to hear it today

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear tomorrow an appeal filed by the Gyanvapi mosque management committee against the Allahabad High Court’s order allowing scientific survey of a Shivling purportedly found inside the mosque complex last year.

A bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chadrachud, agreed to hear tomorrow the appeal of Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee.

Gyanvapi mosque mgment committee, Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee, had moved the Supreme Court challenging an Allahabad HC order allowing carbon dating of purported Shivling discovered in wuzu area during a survey last year.

Just yesterday, a Varanasi Court granted till May 19 to the Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee to file their reply/objection, if any, on an application filed by 4 Hindu women worshippers seeking a survey of the entire Gyanvapi mosque premises by ASI.

Hindu parties had also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, saying that, if there would be any appeal filed by parties, in the case against the Allahabad High Court order directing scientific investigation to ascertain whether the object found during the survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises is a Shiva linga or a fountain, then it must be heard.

A caveat is a legal document filed by a party to ensue that without hearing its side, the Court cannot pass any order.

The Allahabad High Court last week in its order had held that a scientific survey can be done of the oval-shaped object found in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque that Hindu plaintiffs claim to be a shivling.

On May 12, the High Court set aside a Varanasi district court order refusing to allow carbon dating to determine the age of the object.

The matter is related to a plea filed by five Hindu women who claim that an image of deity Shringar Gauri exists at the mosque and have sought permission to offer daily prayers there.

UNI