Court defers verdict on plea for 'Shivling' worship at Gyanvapi to Nov 14

A fast track court on Tuesday postponed till November 14 judgement on a plea seeking permission to allow worship of a "Shivling" claimed to have been found in the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

As the civil judge (senior division) of the court Mahendra Pandey is on leave, the court posted the matter for November 14, Assistant District government counsel Sulabh Prakash said.

After hearing arguments of both the sides, the court had on October 27 reserved its order on the suit for November 8.

On May 24, plaintiff Kiran Singh, who is general secretary of the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, had filed the suit in the Varanasi district court seeking a ban on the entry of Muslims into the Gyanvapi complex, handing over the complex to the Sanatan Sangh and permission to offer prayers at the "Shivling".

On May 25, district court Judge A K Vishvesh had ordered the transfer of the suit to a fast track court.

Varanasi district magistrate, police commissioner, Anjuman Intezamia Committee that is managing the Gyanvapi mosque, and Vishwanath Temple Trust were made respondents in the suit.

On April 26, a lower court (civil judge-senior division) that was earlier hearing a plea by a group of women seeking permission for daily worship of idols of Hindu deities on the mosque's outer walls had ordered a videographic survey of the Gyanvapi complex and the Hindu side had claimed a "Shivling" was found during the exercise.

However, the Muslim side has maintained that the object was part of the water fountain mechanism at the "wazookhana" reservoir where devotees carry out ablutions before offering 'namaz'.

The Supreme Court had transferred the case from a civil judge (senior division) to a district judge on May 20, saying looking at the "complexities" and "sensitivity" of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer with an experience of over 25-30 years handles the case.

District Judge A K Vishwesh is hearing another case demanding a survey of closed underground places in Gyanvapi premises. This case will be heard on November 11.