New Delhi (TIP)- The Supreme Court on Thursday , May 19, restrained the Varanasi civil court from hearing the Gyanvapi mosque survey case for the time being, as it deferred its own hearing of a case on the legality of the survey to Friday on a request made by the lawyer for Hindu petitioners.

A bench, led by justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, recorded the undertaking of advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represented the five Hindu women petitioners, and issued a directive to the Varanasi civil judge.

“We accordingly direct the trial Court to strictly act in terms of the above arrangement and to desist from taking up further proceedings in the suit in view of the consensus which has been arrived at between the parties,” ordered the bench, which also comprised justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha. The court order came after Jain requested the court to adjourn the hearing by a day since the arguing counsel on behalf of the Hindu petitioners could not show up due to a medical condition. Jain added that the petitioners shall not press for a hearing before the Varanasi civil court on Thursday where a report on the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque was expected to be submitted by the advocate commissioner.

Besides, senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, who appeared for the mosque committee, claimed that the Hindu petitioners also moved a fresh plea on Thursday for demolishing a wall around a site where they claimed a “Shivling” was found.

Ahmadi, who represented the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, pressed for a stay of the proceedings before the Varanasi civil judge if the SC were to adjourn the hearing. “There are applications filed even for sealing of other mosques. I would only submit that there should not be any further delay…My only apprehension is that today an application has been moved before the trial court to demolish the wall near the wazukhaana (ablution tank where the Shivling has been purportedly sighted),” he argued.

          Source: HT