Gyanvapi case: Court adjourns plea seeking rejection of Hindu suit till July 4

The Varanasi district court on Monday heard the Order 7 Rule 11 CPC application filed by the Anjuman Islamia Committee questioning the maintainability of the suit filed by five Hindu women (plaintiffs) in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case and posted the matter for the next hearing on July 4.

District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishwesha is hearing the case.

On May 24, the district court had fixed May 26 for the hearing of arguments on the maintainability of the plea filed by the five Hindu women who have sought round-the-year access to pray at the Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex.

On May 26, the court had heard arguments on the maintainability of the plea and posted the matter for further hearing on May 30.

“The Muslim side’s arguments on the maintainability of the case remained incomplete today, which they will continue on May 30 — the date fixed by the court for the next hearing,” district government counsel Rana Sanjeev Singh had said.

The Muslim side has argued that the plea is not maintainable as the Places of Worship Act 1991 prohibits conversion of any place of worship and mandates the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.

After the plea was filed, a lower court had ordered a videographic survey of the Gyanwapi complex, and the Hindu side claimed a ‘Shivling’ was found during the exercise.

Singh had earlier said the court has given one week to both Hindu and Muslim sides to file objections to the report of the court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

On May 20, the Supreme Court had transferred the case from a civil judge (senior division) to a district judge, saying looking at the “complexities” and “sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer has an experience of over 25-30 years handles this case.