Rejecting the plea to change the advocate who is heading the commission appointed for survey of the Gyanvapi mosque, the court has asked the former to resume his work and submit a report on May 17.
Earlier, the management committee of the mosque had moved a local Varanasi court seeking to change the advocate commissioner, accusing him of acting in a partisan manner. (The mosque is adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.)
The court, after hearing the writ, decided that the advocate commissioner would not be changed; instead, one more person would be appointed to assist him. After three days of heated arguments, the court of civil judge also said that the survey would be conducted of the entire premises, including the mosque.
The court also expressed unhappiness over the functioning of the police and district administration of Varanasi. In its order, the court said that had they co-operated, the survey would have been complete by now. Sensing the sensitivity of the matter, the court has asked authorities to beef up the security of both the parties as well their counsel.
A group of five women had filed a case in the Varanasi court seeking permission for regular prayers in the temple located inside the Gyanwapi mosque and said that there are idols of Lord Ganesha, Hanuman and Nandi on the wall, which should be restored. Entertaining the writ, the court had appointed an advocate commissioner and asked him to video graph the premises and submit a report before it by May 10. However, one of the women petitioners in the case had decided to withdraw from the case.
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