THE Supreme Court on Tues day directed that the area where a 'Shivalinga' was indicated to have been found in the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi a day ago should be fully protected, but the rights of Muslims to enter and offer prayers must not be infringed.
The court was hearing a petition challenging an Allahabad High Court order that had permitted the inspection and vid. Eography of the premises.
"In order to obviate any dispute on the meaning and con tent of the order of the trial judge, the operation and ambit of the order dated 16 May 2022 shall stand restricted to the extent that the District Magistrate, Varanasi shall ensure that the area where the Shivalinga is stated to have been found, as indicated in the order, shall be duly protected. The above direction shall not in any manner restrain or impede the access of Muslims to the mosque or the use of the mosque for the purpose of performing namaz and religious observance," a bench led by Justice D Y Chandrachud said in its interim order.
Senior advocate Hufeza Ahmadi, appearing for the Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee, sought a stay in the trial court's proceedings in Varanasi. "The order (to seal the wuzukhana where the Shivalinga was said to have been found) was passed exparte without serving to us... What was the tearing hurry the way the premises were sealed?" he asked. However, the bench refused to issue a stay order.
The court issued notices to the petitioners and the UP government and posted the matter for next hearing on May 19.
In Varanasi, trial court judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar sacked his court-appointed advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra for engaging a private cameraman for the Gyanvapi survey who went about leaking information to the media in flagrant violation of the confidentiality mandate. It was special advocate commissioner Vishal Singh who outed Mishra's lens man R P Singh leaking the survey's proceedings. Singh has now been tasked with submit ting the survey report and granted two days to do so.
Meanwhile, a couple of fresh petitions were filed seeking permission to perform puja of the 'Shivalinga' besides ordering demolition of walls of the basements on the premises and removal of debris for collection of more evidence.
"Totally against judicial decorum"
"Ajay Kumar Mishra performed his duties as advocate commissioner very irresponsibly. A probe shows that a private photographer was engaged by him and he kept giving media bytes that were totally against judicial decorum." trial court judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar said.
(Senior advocate Hufeza Ah madi, appearing for the Anju man Islamia Masjid Committee, sought a stay in the trial court's proceedings in Varanasi. "The order (to seal the wuzukhana where the Shivalinga was said to have been found) was passed exparte without serving to us... What was the tearing hurry the way the premises were sealed?" he asked. However, the bench refused to issue a stay order.
The court issued notices to the petitioners and the UP government and posted the matter for next hearing on May 19.)
You must be logged in to post a comment.