• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Sun, 25 Feb 2024 07:09 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Gyanvapi Row: The Allahabad High Court will on Monday (February 26) deliver its verdict on a petition challenging the Varanasi district court's order allowing prayers in the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex, Live Law reported. The matter is being heard by a single-judge bench of the high court comprising Justice Rohit Ranjan Aggarwal.

The HC bench had completed the hearing and reserved its verdict on February 15. Following the Varanasi court's January 31 direction to the district administration to make necessary arragments for the Hindu side to offer prayers in the Gyanvapi premises within seven days, 'puja' was conducted in the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex on February 1.

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On February 2, Allahabad High Court dismissed the Muslim side's plea to stay the Varanasi court's January 31 order allowing the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque. The high court had granted time until February 6 for the Masjid Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque to amend its pleadings to include a challenge to a January 17 order consequent to which the January 31 order was passed.

In accordance with the January 17 order of the Varanasi court, the District Magistrate of Varanasi was appointed as the receiver, and subsequently the official took possession of the Gyanvapi mosque complex on January 23. Earlier this month, a fresh plea was moved by the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case before Varanasi district, seeking a thorough survey by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) of the unreached cellars (tehkhana) in the mosque premises.

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The cellars mentioned in the Hindu side's latest petition were not surveyed during the recent scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex carried out by the ASI. The said cellars have not been accessed yet due to blocked entrances and debris, the petitioner submitted before the Varanasi court.

(With inputs from ANI)