Gyanvapi dispute: SC asks Masjid committee to respond to ASI survey demand
The High Court had set aside the Varanasi District judge order, which had rejected the application for a scientific survey and carbon dating of the "Shivling" on October 14, 2022. Petitioners Laxmi Devi and three others had filed a plea in the High Court, challenging the order lower court order.
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Gyanvapi Masjid Committee regarding an application filed by Hindu worshippers seeking an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of the sealed area within the mosque. The sealed section is where a "Shivling" was claimed to have been discovered during a court-mandated survey in Varanasi.
Notice Issued to Masjid Committee
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Committee of Management, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, and other respondents to provide their response to the application. The bench scheduled December 17 for the next hearing, where other related petitions, including a plea for consolidating all suits and transferring them from the Varanasi district court to the Allahabad High Court, will also be addressed.
Petitioners’ Demand for Scientific Survey
The petitioners argued that the sealed area contains significant evidence crucial to the case. They stated that the ASI could not survey this section due to interim court orders passed in 2022. "It is submitted that there are important materials relating to the temple within the sealed area. A scientific survey is essential for the resolution of this case," the application said.
The petitioners urged the apex court to allow the ASI to conduct a detailed scientific examination of the sealed section using advanced methods and submit its findings within a stipulated timeframe.
Earlier Developments
Previously, the Supreme Court had deferred the carbon dating of the "Shivling," which the Hindu side claims to have found within the mosque premises. The Muslim side disputes this, asserting the structure is a fountain. The Allahabad High Court had earlier approved a scientific survey of the structure under the supervision of the Varanasi District Judge, but the Supreme Court postponed its implementation for further scrutiny.
The matter continues to attract national attention, as it involves the sensitive intersection of religious sentiments and legal considerations.
