LI Network
Published on: February 3, 2024 at 10:17 IST
The Allahabad High Court is set to hear an appeal on February 6, 2024, challenging a ruling by the Varanasi Court that permitted Hindus to offer prayers in the basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque.
The Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi contested the Varanasi Court’s decision before the High Court after the Supreme Court declined to entertain their plea against the ruling.
During proceedings, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal addressed a preliminary objection raised by the plaintiff, questioning the appeal’s validity since the initial order dated January 17, 2024, had not been contested.
The senior counsel for the appellant informed the court of an upcoming amendment application, aiming to challenge the District Judge’s order in Varanasi on the plaintiff’s application under Order 40 Rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC). The Advocate General assured the court of maintaining law and order as per the District Judge’s directive in Varanasi.
Earlier, on January 31, the Varanasi District Court permitted Hindus to conduct prayers and ‘puja’ in the southern basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque. District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishwesh instructed arrangements to be made within seven days for the puja, raga bhog, and placement of idols in the basement, to be conducted by plaintiff Shailendra Kumar Pathak and a priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board.
Consequently, the Allahabad High Court scheduled the matter for fresh consideration on February 6, 2024, based on the joint request of the involved parties.
The case, titled Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi v. Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas and Another