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High court raps ASI for seeking repeated extensions
Lucknow, July 02: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court today pulled up the Archeological Survey of India for repeatedly seeking extension of time to carry out excavation at the disputed site in Ayodhya, even as a Muslim body accused the ASI of working under orders from its `political masters.`
Lucknow, July 02: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court today pulled up the Archeological Survey of India for repeatedly seeking extension of time to carry out excavation at the disputed site in Ayodhya, even as a Muslim body accused the ASI of working under orders from its "political masters."
The full bench comprising Justice Sudhir Narain, justice S R Alam and Justice Bhanwar Singh rebuked the ASI team leader Hari Majhi for repeatedly seeking extension for completing the excavation work.
"The court is getting an impression that there is slackness on the part of the ASI," the bench observed during the course of arguments on the ASI's application seeking three-month extension to carry out excavations. The three-judge bench also directed Majhi 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 BJP is interested in dragging the excavation work at least upto the end of the forthcoming assembly polls in four states, which are likely to be held in October or November," the board's application said.
The bench also grilled the Tojo Vikas International's representative Manoj Kumar and the commissioner of Faizabad, who was also the authorised person of the acquired land. Bureau Report
"The court is getting an impression that there is slackness on the part of the ASI," the bench observed during the course of arguments on the ASI's application seeking three-month extension to carry out excavations. The three-judge bench also directed Majhi 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 BJP is interested in dragging the excavation work at least upto the end of the forthcoming assembly polls in four states, which are likely to be held in October or November," the board's application said.
The bench also grilled the Tojo Vikas International's representative Manoj Kumar and the commissioner of Faizabad, who was also the authorised person of the acquired land. Bureau Report