ASI seeks 8 more weeks time for Gyanvapi Mosque survey

The Allahabad High Court on August 3 had dismissed the plea filed by the Muslim side, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, challenging the Varanasi court order allowing the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

Varanasi:The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Saturday sought eight weeks of additional time for the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. The Varanasi District Court will hear the matter on September 8. The four weeks given by the court to ASI to complete its survey ended on Saturday.

Amit Srivastava of the Standing Government Council said the survey has not been completed yet. For this reason, the ASI team has asked for an additional time of eight weeks to continue the survey further. On August 5, the court of the Varanasi district judge had given four weeks' time to ASI for completing the survey and asked it to submit its report by September 2, Srivastava said.

The scientific survey of the complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, excluding Wuzu Khana, began on August 4, following the Allahabad High Court's order, which allowed the ASI to conduct the survey to determine if the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.

The Allahabad High Court on August 3 had dismissed the plea filed by the Muslim side, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, challenging the Varanasi court order allowing the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises. (With Agency Inputs)