Gyanvapi mosque hearing update: Court to decide on maintainability on May 26

Gyanvapi mosque row: The court also gave a week`s time to both Hindu and Muslim sides to file objections to the report of a court-mandated videography survey of the mosque.

New Delhi: The hearing on the maintainability of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex case will occur on Thursday (May 26). As per an ANI report, the court of District Judge A K Vishevesh will hear the matter as per directions of the Supreme Court, District Government Counsel Rana Sanjeev Singh said. Singh said the court also gave a week's time to both Hindu and Muslim sides to file objections to the report of a court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

After the Babri mosque, Varanasi’s famous Gyanvapi Masjid, situated near the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple, has come under the scanner after a Varanasi's civil court ordered a detailed survey of the disputed Gyanvapi complex following several petitions that Hindu deities and objects were present inside the mosque. The court-appointed commissioners were asked to execute the survey, which was recorded on a videotape.

A petition was later foiled by the Muslim side of the case challenging the court-ordered survey, which the Supreme Court refused. The detailed videographic survey was recently concluded and two reports- one led by Advocate Ajay Kumar Mishra while the other one by Advocate Vishal Singh was submitted before the court.

On May 16, the lower court had directed the district administration to seal a spot in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after counsels representing the Hindu petitioners said a Shivling was found Monday during a court-mandated videography survey.

A mosque management committee spokesperson disputed the claim, telling a television channel that the object was part of a "fountain". He said lawyers representing the mosque committee were not fully heard before the sealing order was announced.

(With agency inputs)