Supreme Court stays ASI survey of Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque complex till July 26

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said that no ASI survey will be conducted of Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi till July 26.

The apex court said that Allahabad High Court order shall not be enforced till July 26. In the meantime, the mosque committee shall move High Court. The Supreme Court asked the Gyanvapi mosque management committee to approach the Allahabad High Court against the Varanasi district court order on the ASI survey of the mosque complex.

Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque case, said, “The Supreme Court has passed a stay on the execution of the order of the Varanasi court on the survey of the mosque complex to allow the Anjum to challenge the same before the High Court.”

“We will abide by the court order,” said District Magistrate of Varanasi after Supreme Court ordered a stay on the ASI survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex till 5pm on 26th July.

Earlier this morning the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team reached the Gyanvapi Mosque on Monday in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi to conduct a scientific survey of the mosque complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Varanasi Court on Friday gave directions to conduct an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the ‘Wazukhana’ area which has been sealed.