Gyanvapi-Shivling Protection: Interim order will continue till further Order-SC

The Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain and the Hindu Paksha got a sigh of relief as Supreme Court pronounced, ‘We direct that pending further orders, interim order dated 17 may 2022 shall continue to remain in operation.’

It is known to all that on 17^th may 2022 the supreme court had ordered that the Shivling (object) have been found during Survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque at Varanasi, be protected. This order was due to expire on November 12. The Lawyer of Hindu Paksha filed a plea before supreme court sought the extension of that order.

The bench Comprising CJI Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Suryakant and Justice PS Narasimha has extended the protection till further order.

The Supreme Court allowed the Hindu Paksha to move an application before the Varanasi district judge for consolidation of all the lawsuit filed on the Gyanvapi matter.

The Bench Directed Hindu paksha’s Counsel to file their replies within three weeks on the appeal filed by the management committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid that challenged the Allahabad High Court order on the appointment of a survey commissioner.

Case History Up to Now

This year on 17^th may, the top court had passed an interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where the ‘Shivling’ was found in the survey.

Three days later, on May 20, the Supreme Court, in view of the ‘complexities’ and ‘sensitivity’ of the case, transferred the case from the Civil Judge (Senior Division) to the District Judge of Varanasi, also said that 25-30 Judicial officers with more than one year of experience can handle the case.

Along with safeguarding the area where the ‘Shivling’ has been found, the Supreme Court had also allowed the Muslims to offer prayers in the mosque premises, saying till the maintainability of the case is not decided by the district judge. Earlier, the Supreme Court had agreed to set up a bench to hear the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath case, with the Hindu Paksha seeking to extend the order by which the area where a Shivling was found in the Gyanvapi complex was protected. was ordered. When asked about the future of the petition of the Masjid Committee challenging the hearing of the petition of the Hindu side, the counsel said it was dismissed by the lower court and an appeal is pending in the Allahabad High Court.