Varanasi court orders completion of Gyanvapi mosque survey and report by May 17

A Varanasi court on Thursday ordered the completion of the Gyanvapi mosque survey and the presentation of report by May 17. The order comes a day after the hearing in the petition seeking the removal of court-appointed advocate commissioner entrusted with carrying out the survey had concluded.

"The court has ordered complete survey and present a detailed report on May 17, the next date of hearing in the case," Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, one of the lawyers of of the petitioners said. The court has ordered the district administration not to delay the survey by making an excuse.

The survey is likely to begin day after tomorrow, the court said. "The court has ordered the survey of entire Gyanvapi complex. The survey of mosque and its basement will be conducted," the lawyer said.

"The court rejected the Anzuman Intezamia Masajid Committee's petition seeking the removal of the advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar," Chaturvedi added. The court has appointed another lawyer Vishal Kumar Singh as the advocate commissioner. Ajai Pratap Singh has been appointed as the assistant advocate commissioner.

The court ordered that advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar Mishra and the special advocate commissioner Vishal Singh will jointly conduct the proceedings of the commissioner. In case, Mishra is absent, Vishal Singh will carry out the proceedings to conduct the survey. If Singh is absent, Ajai Mishra will do it.

The survey includes the videography and the inspection of the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal and adjacent Gyanvapi mosque premises.

The petitioners' lawyer said all the sides will be present during the survey. On April 26, the court of civil judge in Varanasi, Ravi Kumar Diwakar, had ordered the videography of the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal by the advocate commissioner and asked him to submit a detailed report before the court on May 10.