Gyanvapi Dispute

Representing the district magistrate, ADM (protocol) Prakash Chand convened a meeting at the Gyanvapi mosque with the plaintiff and head priest of Acharya Ved Vyas Peeth temple, Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas, along with his advocates and representatives of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid.

Jain further asserted that the survey report provides substantial evidence supporting the existence of a temple on the site before the construction of the mosque. Earlier in the day, a total of 11 individuals, representing both the Hindu and Muslim sides, applied in court to access the ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi complex, which is situated adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

In response, the court has reserved its decision on the matter and is scheduled to announce its ruling on Thursday regarding the provision of the report to the involved parties in the original Shringar Gauri suit (Rakhi Singh and others vs. Uttar Pradesh state and others).

Akhlaque Ahmad, representing AIMC, stated, "We have prayed to the court that the report on the scientific survey of Gyanvapi mosque should be kept in a sealed cover and should not be given to any of the parties unless a personal undertaking on an affidavit is submitted that it will not be leaked to anyone." The court has fixed January 3 as the next hearing date.

The ASI had sought the extension due to the ill-health of its Superintending Archaeologist Avinash Mohanty. The court had earlier instructed the ASI to file the report within the granted time and not seek further extensions.

The ASI has been conducting a survey in the barricaded area of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, excluding its sealed section, since August 4.

On behalf of ASI, standing government counsel, Government of India, Amit Kumar Srivastava, filed the application. Srivastava said, "We prayed to the court to grant further eight weeks' time to ASI for submitting report of the survey of Gyanvapi mosque because the exercise is still going on."