In an application submitted to the Varanasi district court today, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) requested an extension of three weeks for the submission of the report from the scientific assessment that was carried out on the grounds of the Gyanvapi Mosque.
The court received an application from ASI’s standing government counsel, Amit Srivastava, asking for further time to gather and complete the detailed report. Around 2:00 pm, the court is set to hear ASI’s petition.
The extensive survey, spanning a duration of 100 days, concluded nearly a month ago. However, ASI has sought several extensions during this period, citing the complexity and thoroughness required in preparing the report.
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The Varanasi District Judge had already given ASI ten more days on November 18 to submit its report on the Gyanvapi Mosque Survey; this is the second request for an extension. Today was the last day to submit the scientific survey report by the extended deadline.
On July 21, a Varanasi court ordered the study in response to a plea filed by four women requesting permission to pray at the Shringar Gauri Shrine, which is located behind the temple’s western wall. The survey does not include the Wuzukhana region, which is cordoned off by Supreme Court directives.
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The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC) was given permission to approach the Allahabad High Court on July 26 after the Supreme Court on July 24 suspended the survey, which had been carried out by the ASI for more than four and a half hours on July 24.
The survey’s stay was prolonged when the mosque committee filed a motion with the top court on July 25. On August 3, the high court rendered a decision that approved the exercise. On August 4, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the AIMC against the high court’s ruling, refusing to halt the survey.
The Gyanvapi mosque’s scientific survey resumed amid tight security on August 4 after the Allahabad high court on August 3 vacated a stay and gave the go-ahead for the exercise. The Varanasi court had initially ordered the survey on July 21 and asked for submission of the report by August 4.
Hearing an ASI application on October 5, the court granted four more weeks to complete the survey and submit the report.
On November 2, the court granted 15 days’ time to the ASI, directing it to submit the report by November 17.
