KV-Gyanvapi complex case hearing today
VARANASI : A court on Tuesday heard arguments of both sides on the petition by Anzuman Intezamia Masjid Committee that seeks removal/replacement of court-appointed advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar, who has been tasked with carrying out a survey of the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi, and fixed May 11 as the next date of hearing.
The advocates, representing the petitioners who have sought permission for daily worship at the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal, argued in favour of the advocate commissioner and informed the court that the advocate commissioner conducted the survey on Friday as per rule and was not allowed to conduct the survey of the Gyanvapi premises on Saturday when he along with the team reached there for it.
“We urged the court that the advocate commissioner should not be changed,” said Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, one of the advocates of the plaintiffs representing Rakhi Singh, Manju Vyas, Sita Sahu and Rekha Pathak (plaintiffs). In August 2021, they had filed a petition in court, seeking permission for daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal.
Abhay Nath Yadav and Mumtaz Ahmad, two of the advocates representing Anzuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, argued in favour of their stand that the advocate commissioner be removed.
“We presented several arguments with facts in favour of our stand. The court’s order is for conducting the survey of Shringar Gauri Sthal in Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex. The survey has to be conducted of present situation in and around the Maa Shringar sthal, while advocate commissioner tried to enter Gyanvapi premises for the survey,” said Abhay Nath Yadav.
After hearing arguments of both the sides, the court fixed May 11 as next date of hearing, added Yadav.
On Monday, advocates of the plaintiffs filed an objection in the court of the civil judge (senior division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar against the petition seeking removal of advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, had on Saturday (May 7) filed the petition for removing or replacing the current advocate commissioner. After hearing the petition on Saturday, the court fixed May 9 for the next hearing.
Advocates of the Masjid Committee were present in court on Monday and they presented their side. Advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar was also present in court. He verbally informed about the hurdle the commission faced when it went to KV-Gyanvapi complex for the survey.
After hearing both the sides, the court fixed May 10 as next date of hearing. On Tuesday, the court heard arguments of both the sides and fixed May 11 as next date of hearing.
Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi said: “The allegation by the lawyers of the Masjid committee that the advocate commissioner is biased and conducting the survey keeping in view the interest of the plaintiffs is completely baseless.”
He added that the advocate commissioner conducted the proceedings on the first day (May 6) in a fair manner.
The survey hit a hurdle on Saturday (May 7) as the advocate commissioner and his team were unable to enter the Gyanvapi premises due to opposition from lawyers representing the Masjid committee and people associated with it, said another advocate associated with the matter.
On Friday (May 6), survey of Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex had begun in the presence of all the parties amid tight security.
We urged the court that the advocate commissioner should not be changed SN CHATURVEDI, Advocate