The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday stayed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey on hold till 5 pm on July 26 after a Varanasi court ordered a detailed scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises.
The apex court has asked petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court at the earliest. The top court has asked the HC to hear the matter before stay order expires.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud directed that the trial court order shall not be enforced till 5 pm on July 26. The CJI also noted the Solicitor General’s submissions that no excavation work will be done for at least one week.
Last week, the Varanasi district court ordered an extensive survey of the Gyanvapi masjid by the ASI to ascertain whether the mosque was built over a pre-existing Hindu temple, holding that the scientific investigation is “necessary” for the “true facts” to come out.
After the apex court’s latest order, DM Varanasi said that the order will be followed.
“We will abide by the court order,” said DM Varanasi responding to the SC’s stay order on the ASI survey of Gyanvapi Mosque complex.
Duirng the hearing, Muslim side’s representative, senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi requested the SC bench to stay the trial court’s order.
He said that since the High Court has already stayed the earlier order of the ASI Survey, the trial court could not have passed this order again.
A 30-member ASI team arrived in Varanasi on Sunday and started their scientific survey inside the Gyanvapi mosque, situated next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
