Hearing in Gyanvapi Masjid case: Chief Justice Diwakar had transferred the hearing for himself
Date: December 7, 2023
Location: Prayagraj, India
Court: Allahabad High Court
Prayagraj, December 7, 2023 – Allahabad High Court postponed the hearing in the Gyanvapi Masjid case on Thursday. The next hearing will be on Friday, December 8.
In this matter, the Anjuman Intejamia Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque located in Varanasi, has filed a petition. It has been said in the petition that the maintainability of the suit demanding restoration of the temple in place of this mosque has been challenged.
During the hearing on Thursday, both sides presented their arguments. Justice Rohit Ranjan Aggarwal has called both parties for a hearing again on Friday.
Apart from this, the petition has also challenged the direction given to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque. This direction was given by a court in Varanasi on April 8, 2021.
Due to the ongoing hearing in this case, there is political and social turmoil across the country.
Chief Justice Diwakar had transferred the hearing for himself
Earlier, the then Chief Justice Pretinkar Diwakar had transferred the case from Justice Prakash Padia to himself under an order passed on August 28, 2023.
Justice Diwakar had said in the order that as per the roster, the hearing on the matter was not within the jurisdiction of Justice Padia, who heard it for more than two years. The Chief Justice had further said that the decision to transfer the case from a single judge to the court of the Chief Justice was taken at the administrative level in the interest of judicial property, judicial discipline and transparency.
Chief Justice Diwakar retired on November 22
Chief Justice Diwakar retired on 22 November 2023. The matter was listed before Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal on Thursday after his retirement.
Anjuman Intejamia Committee lawyer SFA Naqvi said
Anjuman Intejamia Committee’s lawyer SFA Naqvi said that in this petition, the direction given to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid has also been challenged. This direction was given by a court in Varanasi on April 8, 2021.
