Gyanvapi Mosque committee files plea against Varanasi court order on ASI survey

The Gyanvapi Mosque management committee, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, has filed a plea in the Supreme Court against the Varanasi district court's order for an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey of the mosque complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath temple, according to news agency ANI.

The apex court asked SG Tushar Mehta to find out the nature of survey being carried out at Gyanvapi mosque at Varanasi by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Supreme Court has decided to take up the plea by the Muslim sides at 11.15 am.

A 30-member team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is currently carrying out a scientific survey of the mosque complex in accordance with court orders to determine if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple was built upon a temple.

Besides the ASI team, which entered the complex around 7 am, the lawyers of all the Hindu petitioners to the legal dispute are also present at the spot, Madan Mohan Yadav, one of the counsel, said.

Late on Sunday evening, District Magistrate (DM) S Rajalingam had said the ASI team had reached Varanasi and the survey proceedings inside the Gyanvapi mosque campus would begin from 7 am on Monday.

More to follow...