SC defers scientific survey to determine age of ‘Shivling’ found at Gyanvapi mosque

STATE TIMES NEWS

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred a scientific survey, including carbon dating, to determine the age of a “Shivling”, claimed to have been found at Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque, saying implications of the Allahabad High Court order for it merit closer scrutiny.
The high court on May 12 had ordered determination of the age of the structure, claimed to be a “Shivling”, using modern technology. However, the mosque’s authorities have said the structure is part of a fountain in the ‘wazu khana’, where ablutions are performed before namaz.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued notices to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Hindu petitioners on the plea of th Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee against the high court order for the “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of the structure.
“Since the implications of the impugned order merit closer scrutiny, the implementation of the directions concerned in the order shall stand deferred till the next date,” the bench also comprising justices P S Narasimha and K V Vishwanathan said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, expressed concerns regarding damage to the structure during the process and said the government will examine in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India if there is an alternative method to ascertain the age of the “Shivling” found at Gyanvapi.
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee, told the bench that the survey work will commence on May 22.
The Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government both agreed to the plea for adjourning the proposed scientific survey of the structure for the time being.
The high court had set aside an October 14 order of the Varanasi District Court that rejected a plea for scientific investigation, including carbon dating, of the structure found in May last year during a court-mandated survey of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Following the high court order, a local court at Varanasi on May 16 agreed to hear a plea for a survey by the ASI of the entire Gyanvapi mosque premises.
Prior to this, the high court, on May 12, had directed the Varanasi district judge to proceed, in accordance with the law, on the application by Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the structure found last year.
The high court order had said no harm should be done to the structure, which the Hindu petitioners claim is a “Shivling”. However, the mosque’s authorities said it is part of a fountain in the ‘wazu khana’.
It had passed the order on a revision petition filed by Laxmi Devi and three others challenging the Varanasi court order.