The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing on a plea seeking an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey of the ablution area at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi, listing the matter for April 15 after lawyers informed the court that related issues are currently under consideration before the Supreme Court.
The matter came up before Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, who was hearing a civil revision petition filed by Rakhi Singh, one of the plaintiffs involved in the Gyanvapi dispute proceedings before a Varanasi court.
Singh’s petition challenges an order dated October 21, 2023, passed by the Varanasi district judge. In that order, the district court had rejected a plea seeking directions to the Archaeological Survey of India to carry out a survey of the wazukhana, the ablution area within the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
The request for a survey specifically concerned the ablution area while excluding a disputed structure at the site. The Hindu side has claimed that the structure is a ‘Shivlinga’, while the Muslim side has maintained that it is a fountain.
During Tuesday’s hearing, counsel appearing for the parties informed the High Court that issues related to the dispute are currently engaging the attention of the Supreme Court. In view of this development, the High Court adjourned the proceedings.
The matter will now be taken up again on April 15.
