Plea for ASI survey of ‘wuzukhana’ adjourned till Jul 20

Rajesh Kumar Pandey | TNN

Prayagraj: Allahabad high court on Thursday adjourned till Jul 20, hearing of the matter wherein an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey has been sought of the Gyanvapi mosque's wuzukhana (ablution pond) area, excluding the structure described by the Hindu side as a shivling and the Muslim side as ‘wuzukhana’.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal is hearing a civil revision petition filed by Rakhi Singh, one of the plaintiffs before a Varanasi court. The court ordered that as counsel for parties informed that the matter is engaging the attention of the Supreme Court, therefore, in view of the said fact, hearing of the case is adjourned.

It may be recalled that in a matter seeking ASI survey of the wuzukhana area except for the shivling inside the Gyanvapi mosque.
Earlier, at one stage, high court had directed the petitioner's counsel to file supplementary affidavit bringing on record the application moved by one of the plaintiffs, Laxmi Devi, earlier for scientific investigation/survey of the protected area, which was decided by the apex court in the year 2023.

The above order was passed in a civil revision petition filed by Rakhi Singh, one of the plaintiffs before the Varanasi counter. The revision was filed challenging the Varanasi District Judge's order dated Oct 21, 2023, refusing to direct ASI to undertake a survey of the Wazukhana area except for the shivling inside the Gyanvapi Mosque. The revision petition has been filed by Rakhi Singh, one of the plaintiffs in Shringar Gauri Worshiping suit before Varanasi court.