Gyanvapi mosque case verdict: Varanasi District Court hearing today

On January 3, the Varanasi District Court had adjourned the hearing related to the Gyanvapi case to January 4. 

A hearing was held on January 3 at 2:30 pm, in which a heated argument took place between the Hindu side and Muslim side. 

On January 4, the District Court in Varanasi will decide whether the survey report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should be given to the plaintiffs and advocates or not. The Court will also decide whether the ASI survey report shall remain sealed or be made public.

Three key verdicts will be pronounced tomorrow. Meanwhile, the ASI has filed an application seeking four weeks' time for the proceedings to be completed.

Earlier, Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi from the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case told ANI, “The report of the survey of Gyanvapi, which was done by the ASI has been submitted in a sealed envelope. We had appealed to the Court that the report should not be submitted in a sealed envelope. The Muslim side appealed that it should be in a sealed envelope and the proceedings should be done secretly in the matter, as it is a sensitive matter. Now, the court will decide today whether the report should be made public or not...”

The ASI surveyed the Gyanvapi complex for 92 days, as confirmed by Anupam Dwivedi, another advocate arguing for the Hindu side.

"The survey report by ASI was very bulky. He has submitted the report in a sealed cover. The Anjumani Tajamiya said that the application was filed and that it should be kept secret… This is not an in-camera proceeding and is not a secret proceeding, hence it should be kept from coming in front of the public or in any way. Stopping it is against the essence of the Supreme Court's judgement and our right to information," said Anupam Dwivedi, advocate from the Hindu side.

On December 18, the sealed ASI survey report was submitted by the ASI team to the District Court.

On December 19, the Allahabad High Court upheld the 2021 ASI Survey Order. “Can't call Gyanvapi complex a temple or mosque unless the Varanasi Court determines its religious character,” ruled the Court.

On December 21, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee requested the Court not to give the ASI report to any party. The Hindu side objected to this request. Advocate Chaturvedi cited an August 4 order of the Supreme Court of India, which stated that the report will not be filed in a sealed envelope.

"An application of the Muslim side is also before the Court that the report be filed in a sealed envelope and this be not disclosed in the public domain until the report is disposed (of). We objected to it on 18th December and mentioned that the Supreme Court in its order stated that the report be not filed in a sealed envelope. So, the Court had given today's date and the hearing will be taken up today. It will be heard if the report will be submitted in an open or sealed envelope," said Chaturvedi.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain from the Hindu side said that the ASI survey report being presented in a sealed envelope is a "violation of the Supreme Court order" and that the Hindu side has filed an application in the district court and sought a copy of the report.