New Delhi (The Hawk): The Supreme Court ordered the Varanasi district magistrate to make sure that the protection of the "Shivling" at the Gyanvapi mosque is maintained until further notice on Friday. The Supreme Court was listening to a petition asking for the protection of the "Shivling" found in Varanasi's mosque complex.
On Thursday, a panel consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices Hima Kohli and JB Pardiwala announced that it will form a bench to hear the case.
Muslims were allowed access for namaz on May 17 after the highest court issued an interim injunction directing security of the area where the "Shivling" was discovered. According to the court, the same shall continue to be in effect until the Varanasi court decides whether the lawsuit can be maintained, and then for an additional eight weeks to allow parties to pursue legal remedies.
Hindu parties' attorney Vishnu Shankar Jain brought up the issue before the supreme court in an effort to extend the temporary order safeguarding "Shivling."
The interim order must be renewed since, according to Jain, it is set to expire on November 12. He further emphasised the fact that the Muslim parties' application under Order 7 Rule 11 (rejection of plaintiffs) was turned down.
The Varanasi District Court ruled in September that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 did not preclude the lawsuit.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which oversees the Gyanvapi mosque, had argued that the claim brought by Hindu women was not maintainable, but it had been rejected.
The Supreme Court is currently considering an appeal that the Committee filed in opposition to an order by the Allahabad High Court allowing a court-appointed commissioner to inspect, survey, and film the Gyanvapi mosque, where both Hindus and Muslims have claimed the right to worship.
On May 20, the Supreme Court issued an order transferring the civil judge's civil case involving worship at the Gyanvapi mosque to the Varanasi District Judge.
As requested by the Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Varanasi, it had stated that the District Judge should determine whether the civil lawsuit in the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath on Priority can be maintained.
(Inputs from Agencies)