Hearing On Survey Petition Of Alleged Wuzu Khana In Gyanvapi Mosque Postponed

The Allahabad High Court has adjourned the hearing on the petition demanding a survey of the alleged Wuzu Khana within the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi to 7 October.

The court put the petition on hold after the lawyer representing the Muslim side announced he was unwell and unable to attend. The petition excludes the Shiva Lingam, which the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has already surveyed.

The petition challenges the order passed by a Varanasi court on 21 October 2023, which declined to instruct the ASI to survey the area in question inside the Gyanvapi Mosque complex.

The petitioners refer to the disputed zone as the Wuzu Khana and claim it contains a Shiva Lingam, while the Muslim side considers it a fountain.

Rakhi Singh, one of the petitioners, filed an application in the Varanasi court asking the ASI to survey the alleged Wuzu Khana, excluding the Shiva Lingam structure.

Following the rejection of this application by the district judge, Singh challenged the order by filing a revision petition before the Allahabad High Court.

Arguments Presented in the Revision Petition

In the revision petition, Singh argued that a survey of the Wuzu Khana area was essential in the interests of justice.

It was contended that such a survey would benefit both the petitioner and the respondent and aid the court in delivering a fair and just decision in the matter.

The petition further emphasised the need for an ASI survey to determine the religious nature and status of the entire property comprehensively.

The ASI has already completed a survey of the Gyanvapi complex, but the petitioners assert that the Wuzu Khana area was not fully examined during the previous survey.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the counsel for the Muslim party informed the court that he was indisposed and unable to participate.

Consequently, the court postponed the hearing, setting the next date for 7 October.

The case remains a sensitive and highly contested one, touching on issues of religious sentiments and archaeological importance in one of India’s most revered pilgrimage cities.

Significance of the Case

The Gyanvapi Mosque dispute has attracted widespread attention due to its location adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, a major religious site for Hindus.

The matter continues to be a focal point of legal, historical, and religious debates in the region.

People will closely watch the upcoming hearing on 7 October as the court deliberates whether to permit a detailed archaeological survey of the contested area, which could influence the ongoing legal and religious discourse surrounding the site.

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