Allahabad, July 03: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has reserved the order on the plea of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for more time to excavate at the disputed site at Ayodhya.
The judgement will be announced today. The bench also pulled up the ASI for repeatedly seeking extension. "The Court is getting an impression that there is slackness on the part of the ASI," the bench said.
The three-judge bench directed ASI not to stop excavation work without seeking instructions from the Court. During the course of arguments, the Sunni Central Waqf Board (SCWB), one of the plaintiffs in the case, alleged that the ASI was seeking extension under the direction of its 'political masters' in New Delhi.
"The application for extension of time moved by the ASI is unwarranted and uncalled for and appears to have been moved at the instance of the BJP leadership," the SCWB contended in its objection filed before the Court.

The ASI had applied for a three-month extension on Tuesday, claiming that the waterproof cover over the area was adversely affecting photo documentation.

Pointing out that Ayodhya experiences heavy rainfall in July, August and September, the ASI had pleaded that it should be allowed to submit a final report by December.

Bureau Report