Supreme Court Refuses To Stop Prayers In Gyanvapi's Vyas Ka Tehkhana

The top court issued notice to trial court petitioner Shailendra Vyas on the mosque side's plea against worship in the basement.

The next hearing will take place in the third week of July.

The Supreme Court of India today refused to stop worship in Vyas Ka Tehkhana of Gyanvapi mosque. However, the apex court asked both parties to maintain the status quo so that both parties could perform their prayers in their respective areas. The court issued notice to trial court petitioner Shailendra Vyas on the mosque side's plea against worship in the basement. The next hearing will take place in the third week of July.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has directed both Hindu and Muslim factions to uphold the existing conditions at the Gyanvapi premises, facilitating both communities to conduct 'puja' and 'namaz'. The bench emphasized that any changes to the status quo require approval from the highest court. Additionally, the bench acknowledged the distinction between the areas designated for 'puja' and Muslim prayers within the Tehkhana.

The top court said that Hindus would enter from the South and pray in Tehkhana and Muslims would enter from the Northern side for prayer. "At this stage, bearing in mind the fact that namaz is being offered by Muslim communities unhindered after the district court and High Court orders and that prayers in Tehkhana are limited to the Hindu priests, it is important to maintain the status quo, so that both communities can perform religious worship in above terms," the bench stated in its order.

Furthermore, it served notice to the Hindu plaintiffs regarding an appeal from the mosque committee contesting a ruling by the Allahabad High Court regarding the 'puja' of deities within the 'Vyas Tehkhana'. The apex court has now scheduled the case for a hearing in July. The mosque committee lodged the appeal against the High Court's decision, arguing that the authorities were acting hastily following a directive from the Varanasi Court to conduct the 'Puja' at night.

On January 31, the Varanasi district court granted permission to the Hindu party to conduct prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque. The court instructed the Varanasi district magistrate to make necessary arrangements within seven days for the 'puja' to be performed by the Hindu party and a designated priest nominated by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.