The judges, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, granted senior counsel Huzefa Ahmadi’s request to hear the matter urgently on behalf of the mosque committee.
Post Date – 23rd Monday 24th July 11:30am
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) not to carry out intrusive work to ascertain whether the Jawapi Mosque, located next to the Vishwanath Temple in Kashgarh, Varanasi, was built on a temple, and agreed to hear the mosque committee’s plea on the same day.
The judges, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, took note of the opinion of Senior Defense Counsel Huzefa Ahmadi, who appeared on behalf of the Mosque Council, to hear the matter urgently.
The Supreme Court asked Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, to inform the ASI team that no “invasive work” or excavation should be carried out at the site.
“We’ll hear (the request) at 2 p.m.,” the bench said.
The Varanasi court on Friday directed ASI to carry out a “detailed scientific investigation” – including excavation if necessary – to ascertain whether the mosque was built on the site of an earlier temple.
The mosque’s “wazookhana” (a small reservoir for Muslim devotees to perform ritual ablutions), which the Hindu litigants claim is a “Shivling,” will not be part of the investigation after the Supreme Court ordered the site protected in the complex.
District Judge AK Vishvesh directed ASI to submit a report to the court by August 4, along with video footage and photos of the investigation.
