Pronouncing key decision, the Varanasi court on Monday held the petition maintainable which sought worshipping of Hindu deities found inside the Gyanvapu mosque.
The seniormost judge of the district court AK Vishvesh while hearing the petition said that the case will be continues and the next hearing will be on September 22.
During the court proceeding, the court dismissed the petition filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee and others who challenged the petition filed by 5 Hindu women.
Following the proceeding, the counsel Merajuddin Siddiqui of Masjid committee said they will move to Allahabad High Court challenging the decision by the district court.
On August 18, 2021, 5 Hindu women – Rekha Pathak Laxmi Devi and Sita Sahu from Varanasi and Rakhi Singh from Delhi had filed petition in the local court seeking permission to worship Shringar Gauri shrine daily situated at the north-west wall in the Gyanvapi mosque.
They said they were allowed until 1993 even after the enactment of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
While the Masjid committee said the petition filed by the Hindu women was not maintainable as the Gyanvapi mosque was a Waqf property. Prohibitory orders were given to maintain law and order in the city ahead of the decision on Monday, as many people were seen distributing sweets in the streets soon after the news broke out.service
In May, the Supreme Court had shifted the case to the court of Varanasi and had its seniormost judge AK Vishvesh to take over the case citing that the case needed to handled by a “slightly more experienced and seasoned” officer from UP Higher Judicial service.
