Varanasi Court Order Allowing Hindus To Offer Prayers In Basement Of Gyanvapi Mosque: Allahabad HC To Hear Appeal On Feb 6

The Allahabad High Court, on 6 February 2024, will hear an appeal filed against the order passed by the Varanasi Court that had permitted Hindus to offer prayers in the basement of Gyanvapi Mosque.

The Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi had challenged the aforesaid order before the High Court as the Supreme Court refused to hear its plea against the same.

A Single Bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said, “A preliminary objection has been raised from the plaintiff side as to the maintainability of appeal on the ground that the basic order dated 17.01.2024 has not been challenged.”

Senior Advocate S.F.A. Naqvi appeared on behalf of the appellant while Advocate General Ajay Mishra appeared on behalf of the respondents.

The senior counsel for the appellant had submitted before the court that he will be filing the amendment application amending the appeal and laying challenge to the order passed by the District Judge, Varanasi on the application moved by the plaintiff under Order 40 Rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC). While the Advocate General assured the court that the law and order situation shall be maintained by the District Magistrate pursuant to the order passed by the District Judge, Varanasi.

The Varanasi District Court had earlier on January 31, allowed the Hindus to offer prayers and perform ‘puja’ in the southern basement of Gyanvapi Mosque.

District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishwesh had directed that the basement property located on the south side of the building should get the puja, raga bhog, idols located in the basement done by the plaintiff Shailendra Kumar Pathak and the priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board.

The lower Court had, therefore, ordered to make proper arrangements for the aforementioned purpose within seven days.

Hence, the High Court, in the above context directed, “On the joint request of parties, put up this matter, as fresh, on 06.02.2024.”

Accordingly, the High Court will hear the matter next on February 6.

Cause Title- Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi v. Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas and Another

Appearance:

Appellant: Advocates Puneet Kumar Gupta, S.A. Faizan, Syed Mohd. Nawaz, Mehdi Abbas, Zaheer Asghar, Afaq Ahmad, Fatima Anjum, Akhlakh Ahmad, Imran Ahmad, Nawaz Ahmad Khan, Munawwar Hussain, and Alam Mohammed.

Respondents: Advocates Vishnu Shankar Jain, Prabhash Pandey, Shaurya Krishna, Pradeep Kumar Sharma, and Vineet Sankalp.

Click here to read/download the Order