Gyanvapi row: Order on carbon dating deferred

District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha has fixed Oct 11 as the next date of hearing when counsel for the Muslim side will make their submissions.

Vishnu Shankar Jain, the counsel for the Hindu side, said that before pronouncing the judgement, the court sought clarification on two points.

"The court made two queries whether the Shivling, which was found during the process of commission on May 16, was part of case property and can the court issue commission on the carbon dating or scientific investigation," he said.

Jain said: "We told the court in the suit it was prayed for visible and invisible deities. The Shivling which was 'invisible' as it was hidden under water has become 'visible', therefore it is part of the suit property."

He said that the court was informed that it was authorised to issue a commission for the scientific investigation.

"We pointed towards Order 26 Rule 10A of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) under which the court has power to issue commission for scientific investigation," he said.

Jain said: "Moreover, the Muslim side has said on affidavit that structure found in wazookhana of the mosque it is a fountain and not a Shivling. We said that that means that the Muslim also wants that it should be adjudicated whether it is a fountain or a Shivling and the best way to do this is that an inquiry should be done by the Archaeological Survey of (ASI) for which the court issues commission."

The counsel said that the court has given Muslim side an opportunity to present their side and has fixed Oct 11.

On Sept 29, the district court reserved its order on an application seeking carbon dating of Shivling-like structure, the walls, Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal and other deities inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

(With UNI inputs)