VARANASI: The Varanasi district court on Saturday granted the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) four weeks’ time to complete its survey and scientific investigation of Gyanvapi mosque and submit the report in four weeks. The court will hear the matter on September 2.

Amit Srivastava, the standing government counsel (Government of India), moved the application to seek time for the ASI.

He stated that the district judge, Ajay Krishna Vishvesha, who had reserved his order following the hearing on the application, delivered it on Saturday, granting the agency four weeks to complete its survey and submit the report by September 2.

Earlier, after the ASI resumed the survey of Gyanvapi on Friday, Srivastava had moved the ASI’s application to seek a four-week extension for its completion and report submission. The ASI survey was requested by four of the five women plaintiffs in suit no. 18/2022 Rakhi Singh and others vs. UP state and others case, where they are seeking the worship of Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi compound.

The district judge had ordered an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque on July 21, instructing the agency to submit its report by August 4. Srivastava explained that the survey started on July 24, but it was immediately halted after the beginning due to an order from the Supreme Court.

The order allowed the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid, to approach the Allahabad High Court against the order. The survey works remained stopped until the HC dismissed AIM’s plea on August 2.
Srivastava stated that the ASI’s application to seek four weeks to complete the survey work was based on the same facts mentioned in the judgment passed by the HC.