Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by the Gyanvapi committee challenging a district court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey to determine if the mosque was built upon a temple.
The Varanasi district court order was issued on July 21 and was challenged by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee.
Chief Justice Pritinker Diwakar had reserved its order on the committee’s petition on July 27 after hearing the counsels for both parties.
The development comes a week after Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker reserved the order, adding that the survey would not take place until the court order is out.
The Anjuman Mosque Committee had challenged the Varanasi District Court’s order allowing an ASI survey of the complex, excluding the wazukhana area.
In its July 21 order, Varanasi district judge AK Vishvesha has directed the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex on an application moved by four Hindu women on May 16, 2023. Its purpose was to undertake a scientific survey of the mosque for ascertaining whether the “present structure” was “constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple”.
PTI