In a significant development in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi Mosque dispute, the Supreme Court of India has issued notices to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the mosque management committee. The top court’s decision comes in response to a petition filed by Hindu plaintiffs seeking a detailed ASI survey of the ‘Wazukhana’ area within the mosque premises.
According to the Hindu side, a Shivalinga was discovered during a videography survey conducted in the mosque area, prompting the demand for further archaeological examination. The Supreme Court has directed both the ASI and the mosque management to file their responses within two weeks.
Speaking on the case, Advocate Varun Kumar Sinha noted, “The Gyanvapi matter was listed in the Supreme Court. An application was filed to transfer all related cases from the Varanasi district court to the High Court and consolidate them, to ensure all proceedings take place in a single court.” The Supreme Court has postponed further hearings until December 19, at which point it will list all petitions related to Gyanvapi and set a date for commencement of hearings.
The interim applications demanding an ASI investigation of the sealed area were listed for today. “On May 16, 2022, we claimed that a Shivalinga was found in the so-called ‘Wazukhana’ area. The Anjuman Intezamia Committee denies this, asserting it is merely a fountain. We had demanded an ASI investigation of this area and filed an interim application in the Supreme Court, which was scheduled for today,” explained Sinha. The Supreme Court’s notice to the Anjuman Intezamia Committee today seeks their response within the next two weeks, further intensifying the scrutiny on this contentious issue.
