India: Varanasi court allows 10 more days to ASI for Gyanvapi mosque survey, next hearing on Dec 11

The Varanasi district court has granted an additional 10 days to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete its survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises and submit a comprehensive report. The Gyanvapi dispute is related to the Gyanvapi Mosque located in Varanasi in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

This historical and religious dispute over the contentious premises is over the question of whether the mosque was constructed over a pre-existing Hindu temple or not.

The Allahabad High Court had earlier upheld a Varanasi district court order, directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific survey to determine the historical context of the site.

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The latest decision came in response to the ASI's plea seeking three more weeks to assimilate information from various experts and generate a detailed report. District Judge A K Vishvesh expressed hope that this extension would be the final one during a hearing attended by counsel Madan Mohan Yadav, representing the Hindu side.

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The court fixed December 11 as the next date of hearing.

The ASI initiated the survey on August 4, as mandated by court orders. The Muslim side, represented by lawyer Mohammad Ikhlaq, has been raising objections saying that the ASI had already delayed filing the report. On the other hand, the ASI's counsel explained the challenges involved in assimilating data from diverse sources and tools.

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ASI on November 2 spoke of the completion of the survey but requested additional time for compiling the report and detailing the equipment used.

The court, having granted extensions till November 17, subsequently set the deadline for submission to November 28.

The ongoing scientific survey is being conducted to determine the historical context of the Gyanvapi premises, situated next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

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Earlier, the Allahabad High Court deemed the survey crucial "in the interest of justice" for both Hindu and Muslim parties.

The court has consistently spoken of the importance of a thorough survey while ensuring that no invasive actions are taken. The survey remains crucial in resolving the historical dispute surrounding the Gyanvapi complex.

(With inputs from agencies)