LUCKNOW: In a significant decision, the Varanasi district court has restrained the electronic and print media from publishing any 'unofficial information' about the ongoing scientific investigation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
Passing the order on Thursday, the Varanasi district court further issued directives to the Hindu plaintiffs of the Shringar Gauri worship suit of 2022 and ASI officials to abstain from giving any statement regarding the ongoing survey to media.
"If the print media, electronic media or social media wrongly publishes any news item regarding the survey without official information, despite no information being provided by the ASI, plaintiff side and defendant side, then necessary action will be taken against them as per the law," said the district judge in his order.
Varanasi district judge Dr AK Vishvesha passed the order while hearing an application filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masajid, the mosque management committee, seeking restraint on print and electronic media from publishing 'false news' about the ongoing ASI survey on the mosque premises.
The AIM had moved the application on Wednesday associated with pending suit over the round-the-year worship rights of Shringar Gauri and other deities on the mosque premises filed by four Hindu women plaintiffs.
The district judge in his order observed that the issue of the ongoing survey on the mosque premises was sensitive and the ASI had no right to divulge any information to the counsel of plaintiffs or defendants regarding the proceedings. The district judge said: "ASI officers are bound to present the report of the survey only before the court and giving any information about the survey to social, print or electronic media is neither justified not legal."
The court directed the ASI officials engaged in the survey not to share any information to any print, electronic or social media platforms. It also directed the counsels of plaintiffs, defendants, district government advocates, civil and other officers neither to share any information regarding the survey with any print, electronic or social media nor to disseminate the details so that the survey report could be produced before the court only.