ASI resumes survey of Gyanvapi mosque, court grants 4 weeks time to submit report

Madan Mohan Yadav, one of the counsels of the plaintiff, said that the ASI through its counsel sought four weeks time to complete the survey.

"On the application of the ASI's counsel District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha granted four weeks' time to the agency and fixed September 9 as the next date of hearing," he said.

He said the ASI has to submit its detailed report in this period. Earlier, the plaintiffs Rakhi Singh and others through their counsels Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain also moved an application in the district court praying to extend the time given by the court as it may deem fit for submitting a report by ASI.

In its July 21 order, the district court while directing for the 'scientific survey' of the Gyanvapi complex by the ASI had directed the agency to submit its report by Aug 4.

As per the order of the court, the ASI carried out the survey of the Granvapi complex on July 24 between 7 am to 11 am, which was later called off after a stay by the Supreme Court.

The defendant Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee moved the Supreme Court challenging the district court order. The apex court while granting the defendant time to file a petition in the high court had stayed the survey work.

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday dismissed the petition of the Intezamia Committee challenging the district court order for a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi complex.

In his order, Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker stated, "In the opinion of the court, the scientific survey or investigation proposed to be carried out by the Commission, is necessary in the interest of justice and shall benefit the plaintiffs and defendants alike and come in aid of the trial court to arrive at a just decision."

After the HC order, a team of experts of the ASI resumed the scientific survey of Gyanvapi complex amid tight security arrangements on Friday. The ASI team of more than 30 members entered the Gyanvapi complex from gate number 4 which is adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath temple at 7 am.

Two plaintiffs in the original suit along with their counsels were present during the survey.

A large number of security personnel were deployed in and around the Gyanvapi Complex and vehicular movement between Godowlia to Maidagin has been stopped during the survey. Office-bearers of the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee and its lawyers, who moved the apex court against the HC order, abstained from the survey.

The survey work which started at 7 am was halted at around 12.30 pm in the wake of Friday namaz in Gyanvapi mosque. The survey resumed at around 2.30 pm and continued till around 5.15 pm.

The counsel of plaintiff number 1 Rakhi Singh and Anupam Dwivedi said that the survey will resume again on Saturday around 8 am and is likely to continue till 5 pm to 6 pm with a break around 12 noon for namaz depending on the situation. He said that on Friday mapping and measurement of the outer area of the complex was done by the ASI.

[With UNI inputs]