SC agrees to hear Gyanvapi case on April 21

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list the plea filed by Hindu side on April 21 on the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath dispute. The matter was mentioned by Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain before the bench of CJI DY Chandrachud. Jain told the court that Varanasi district judge had deferred its verdict on the consolidation of all suits in the matter for the fourth time.

On November 11 last year, a special bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha allowed the Hindu parties to approach the Varanasi District Court for consolidation of all suits concerning the Gyanvapi dispute. “Mr Vishnu Shankar Jain for the applicants seeks permission to withdraw the IA to enable the applicants to move the District Judge, Varanasi to consolidate the suits.

IA is disposed of,” court said in its order. It had also directed for continuation of its order for protection of an area where a “Shivling” was found in Gyanvapi premises till further orders.  On May 17, 2022 a three judge bench had directed the District Magistrate to ensure that the place inside the mosque where “Shivling” is stated to have been found is protected. It had also ordered that this would, however, not restrict the right of Muslims to offer Namaz and religious observances. 

On May 20, the bench, while extending its May 17 order for eight weeks, had transferred the case related to worship at Gyanvapi mosque from civil judge to the district judge, Varanasi. It had asked the district judge to decide the maintainability of the civil suit in the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath on priority as sought by the Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masjid (AIM) Varanasi. 

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