Prayagraj: On Wednesday, the Allahabad High Court resumed hearing an appeal against a lower court judgement compelling the Archaeological Survey of India to investigate claims that the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi was constructed on top of an ancient Hindu temple.
Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker heard arguments on Tuesday and continued the case for further hearing on Wednesday.
After the Supreme Court temporarily suspended the ASI survey until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to give the mosque's management committee time to file an appeal against the lower court's order, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, which runs the mosque, took the matter to the high court on Tuesday.
Senior advocate SFA Naqvi, representing the committee, has asked Chief Justice Diwaker to hear the issue as soon as possible, citing the impending expiration of the apex court's decision on Wednesday as the reason for the request.
If neither party objects, the Chief Justice has offered to hear the case.
Counsel for the Hindu side, Vishnu Shankar Jain, argued that a survey undertaken by the ASI was recognised by both the high court and the Supreme Court in the Ram Mandir case. The survey was requested by Hindu litigants in the district court because of the mosque's proximity to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. On Friday, a district court in Varanasi issued an order requiring the ASI to perform a reconnaissance using ground penetrating radar and, if necessary, excavations. On Monday, while the ASI team was inside the mosque compound, the supreme court issued an order to halt the survey.—Inputs from Agencies
