STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: In a relief to the Gyanvapi management committee, the Supreme Court on Monday halted till 5 pm of July 26 a “detailed scientific survey” by the ASI to determine if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi was built upon a temple, saying “some breathing time” needed to be granted to appeal a district court order.
A Varanasi court had on Friday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct the survey, including excavations, wherever necessary, to determine if the mosque was built at a place where a temple existed earlier.
Chronology of events in Gyanvapi mosque row
New Delhi: Following is the timeline of developments in the Gyanvapi row, in which the Supreme Court on Monday halted till 5 pm on July 26 the Archaeological Survey of India’s “detailed scientific survey” to determine if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi was built upon a temple.
August 2021: Plea filed before a Varanasi civil court by five Hindu devotees seeking permission to offer daily prayers at the Gyanvapi mosque.
April 8, 2022: Civil court orders a survey of the premises and appoints Ajay Kumar Mishra as in-charge of the exercise.
May 13, 2022: Supreme Court refuses interim order of status quo on the survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex.
May 17, 2022: SC passes interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure protection of the area inside the complex.
May 20, 2022: SC transfers the case from a civil judge to a district judge. Oct 14, 2022: Varanasi district court rejects plea for carbon dating of the Shivling.
Nov 10, 2022: SC agrees to set up a bench to hear the case.
May 12, 2023: Allahabad High Court orders determination of the age of the Shivling using modern technology.
May 19, 2023: SC defers scientific survey to determine the age of Shivling.
July 21, 2023: Varanasi district court directs the ASI to conduct the survey — including excavations, wherever necessary — to determine if the mosque was built at a place where a temple existed earlier.
July 24, 2023: SC halts ASI’s survey at premises till 5 pm on July 26, asks HC to hear mosque panel’s plea.
Taking up the plea moved by the Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia of the Gyanvapi mosque for an urgent hearing, the top court directed the Allahabad High Court to hear the appeal before its “status quo” order expires on Wednesday evening.
The apex court’s order came at a time when a 30-member team of the ASI was inside the mosque complex to carry out the survey. The survey was immediately stopped after the apex court order. “Having regard to the fact that the order of the District Court was pronounced at 4.30 pm on 21 July 2023 and the survey is in the process of being carried out today, we are of the view that some breathing time’ must be granted to the petitioners to move the High Court for pursuing their remedies.
“We direct that the impugned order of the District Court shall not be enforced until 5 pm on 26 July 2023. This shall not be construed as the expression of opinion on the merits,” the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ordered.
The top court said the mosque committee was at liberty to move the high court against the order of the District Judge, Varanasi.