Varanasi district court to take up hearing in Gyanvapi case today
A district court in Varanasi is set to take up hearings in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi masjid case on Monday.
A district court in Varanasi is set to take up hearings in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi masjid case on Monday.
According to Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, one of the lawyers of the Hindu petitioners, all files related to the matter were transferred to the court of district judge Dr Ajay Krishna Vishvesha on Saturday, following an order from the Supreme Court last Friday.
On August 18, 2021, five women, including Rakhi Singh, Manju Vyas, Rekha Pathak and Sita Sahu, had filed an application in the court of civil judge (senior division), Varanasi seeking permission for daily worship of Maa Shringar Gauri inside the complex. The case is titled Rakhi Singh and others versus UP state and Anjuman Intejamia Masjid Committee.
Based on this plea, the Varanasi court had issued orders on April 26 for a videographic survey of the Gyanvapi complex. The four-day (May 6, 14, 15 and 16) survey concluded on May 16 and soon, the Hindu petitioners claimed that a “Shivling” was found in the ablution tank of the mosque.
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The specified portion of the mosque complex was sealed but the top court had on May 17 said that devotees should be allowed to offer prayers in the mosque. Subsequently, additional applications were moved in the Varanasi court, seeking proceedings for the measurement of the Shivling and shifting of water pipes from the sealed area.
One of the advocates appearing for the Anjuman Intejamia Masjid Committee said that an objection was filed against application in the court on May 19.
On Friday, a bench led by justice D Y Chandrachud said that the “complexities and sensitivities involved in the matter” would require a “more senior and experienced hand” and transferred the civil suit to the district judge, Varanasi
The bench, which also included Justice Surya Kant and Justice PS Narasimha, said the district judge shall decide on priority the application of the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, which claims that the case of the Hindu petitioners is barred by the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which locks the position or “religious identity” of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.
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Meanwhile, hearing on the applications seeking commission proceedings for measurement of the claimed “Shivling” and shifting the water pipelines is also scheduled on Monday.
The original civil suit will now be heard by Varanasi district and sessions judge Dr Ajay Krishna Vishvesha. With a judicial service experience of over 30 years, Justice Vishvesha was the district judge of Bulandshahr district prior to Varanasi.
