A Varanasi court on Friday granted the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) additional time of eight weeks to complete the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and submit its report, reports Live Law.
District Judge A K Vishvesh dismissed the mosque management committee’s objection and provided additional time to the ASI, government counsel Rajesh Mishra said. The order was passed in an application moved by the ASI which stated that it would take some more time for the ASI to submit the report.
“As the court has directed to conduct a survey beneath the ground of all the cellars, it is necessary that soil/debris dumped or accumulated there is removed without causing any damage to the standing structure…the debris is being removed very carefully and systematically, which is a slow process and going to take some more time before the ground of all the cellars is cleared for survey as directed by the Hon’ble court,” the ASI’s application had stated, as quoted by Live Law.
The ASI is carrying out a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, next to Kashi Vishwanath temple here, to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
The survey began after the Allahabad High Court upheld a Varanasi district court order and ruled that the step is “necessary in the interest of justice” and will benefit both the Hindu and Muslim sides.