Gyanvapi case: The Supreme Court on Monday put a stay on the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) survey of the Gyanvapi mosque till Wednesday (July 26) 5 pm. This comes after the survey of the premises was started by the ASI on Monday morning.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud took note of the submissions made by senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, who appeared in the court on behalf of the mosque committee, that the matter be heard urgently. The bench also asked the Muslim side to move to the High Court over the matter.
No 'invasive work' or excavation at the site: SC
The top court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was representing the Uttar Pradesh government, to inform the ASI team that there should not be any "invasive work" or excavation at the site.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Mehta contended that not a brick has been removed nor is it planned to be removed. "Right now what is going on is measurement, photography, and radar, which will not affect the structure," he added.
Earlier on Friday, July 21, a Varanasi court directed the ASI to conduct a "detailed scientific survey" -- including excavations, wherever necessary -- to determine if the mosque was built at a place where a temple existed earlier.
The mosque's "wazookhana" (a small reservoir for Muslim devotees to perform ritual ablutions), where a structure claimed by the Hindu litigants to be a "Shivling" exists, will not be part of the survey, following an earlier Supreme Court order protecting that spot in the complex.
(With inputs from agencies)
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