The Allahabad High Court has reserved its verdict on a plea against a Varanasi district court order till August 3, which directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey to determine whether the Gyanvapi mosque was built upon a temple. Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker presided over the hearing and also extended the stay on the ASI survey until August 3. The plea was filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, the organization managing the mosque.
Advocate General Ajai Mishra, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh, clarified that the state government’s role is solely to maintain law and order and that it does not have any involvement in the survey process.
On behalf of the Hindu side, counsel Vishnu Shankar Jain argued that the district court had called for an ASI survey to arrive at a fair conclusion. He also presented photographs in court, depicting Hindu idols and their worship on the western side of the mosque.