Gyanvapi mosque case to be heard by a higher court in UP: SC

Supreme Court has ordered the transfer of the Gyanvapi mosque case to District Judge, Varanasi. Supreme Court orders that senior and experienced judicial officer of UP Judicial services will hear the case.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court, hearing the Gyanvapi Mosque, ordered the transfer of the Gyanvapi mosque case to District Judge, Varanasi. The apex court orders that senior and experienced judicial officer of UP Judicial services will hear the case. Supreme Court says having regard to the sensitivity of this civil suit case, the case is transferred from civil judge senior division Varanasi to district judge Varanasi.

Further, the top court made it clear that once the Commission's report is there, there cannot be selective leaks. "Do not leak things to the press, only the judge opens the report," SC said. Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque issue till July 6. After hearing a lengthy petition filed by the Anjuman Intazamiya Masjid of Varanasi and other connected matters, Justice Prakash Padia adjourned the hearing of the case till July 6.

The original suit was filed in the Varanasi district court in 1991, seeking restoration of an ancient temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque currently stands. On April 8, 2021, the Varanasi court of civil judge (senior division) had ordered a five-member committee comprising two Hindu, two Muslim members and an archaeological expert, to oversee a "comprehensive physical survey" of the centuries-old Gyanvapi mosque complex.

The petitioners challenged the order passed by the Varanasi court in the high court, saying it was illegal and without jurisdiction as the high court had reserved its judgment on the maintainability of the suit pending in the Varanasi court.