Allahabad HC adjourns KV temple-Gyanvapi mosque case till May 20

PRAYAGRAJ : The Allahabad high court on Monday adjourned the hearing of Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex case till May 20 due to paucity of time.

Hearing a petition filed by Anjuman Intazamia Masjid of Varanasi, Justice Prakash Padia observed, “Heard learned counsel for the parties at length. Due to paucity of time, the arguments could not be concluded. Put up this matter in the additional cause list on 20.05.2022 at 12:00 noon.”

The counsel appearing on behalf of the temple argued that the property in dispute was not a waqf property and the provisions of the Waqf Act were not applicable here. It was further argued that when the Waqf Act of 1995 came into force, there was a provision under the aforesaid Act that the waqf property be again registered but the property in dispute had never been re-registered under the Waqf Act, 1995.

The original suit was filed in 1991 in the Varanasi district court seeking restoration of the ancient temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque currently stands. The plea that the said mosque is a part of the temple has been taken in the suit.

The civil judge (senior division), fast track court (FTC) of Varanasi, had directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on April 8, 2021 to conduct a survey of KV temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex to find out whether a temple was demolished to build the mosque that stands adjacent to the KV Temple. Subsequently, the high court, in the present case, had on September 9, 2021, stayed the Varanasi court’s order dated April 8, 2021, that directed the ASI to conduct a comprehensive physical survey of the KV temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex and further proceedings of this case. On March 24, 2022, the high court had directed to hear this case along with all connected matters on a regular basis till their conclusion.