Allahabad HC Dismisses Muslim Side's Plea, Allows ASI Survey On Gyanvapi Mosque

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday allowed the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

The High Court has rejected the Muslim side's plea that the survey could cause harm to the structure. "Issue of a commission is permissible. The Varanasi Court was justified in ordering for ASI survey of the premises. The scientific survey is necessary in the interest of justice, " Live Law quoted the bench of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker as saying while dismissing the plea.

According to Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, the survey will now proceed based on the terms outlined in the ASI's affidavit.

"Allahabad HC has said that the ASI survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex to start. Sessions court order upheld by HC," Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi survey case, told ANI.

Last Thursday, the Allahabad High Court reserved till August 3 its verdict on a plea against a Varanasi district court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey to determine if the Gyanvapi mosque was built upon a temple.

The court of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker also ordered that the stay on the ASI survey will continue till August 3. The high court was hearing the plea filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, which manages the mosque.

Appearing for the state of Uttar Pradesh, advocate General Ajai Mishra had said the state government is there to maintain law and order and that it has no concern with the survey.

The counsel for the Hindu side submitted that the district court had called for an ASI survey to come to a logical conclusion. He also presented in the court some photographs of the western side of the mosque showing the existence of Hindu idols and their worship.

Earlier, when the hearing started in the case, ASI Additional Director Alok Tripathi informed the court that the ASI is not going to dig the structure.