The special bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday granted a five-week extension to the Archaeological Survey of India to complete excavation at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

The court directed it to submit its final report by August 22. The full bench comprised Justice Sudhir Narain, Justice Bhanwar Singh and Justice S R Alam.

The court order came on an ASI plea seeking time till December to complete excavation at the site, being carried out as per the high court order to ascertain whether a temple existed at the place where the demolished Babri Masjid stood.