Varanasi court gives one more week to ASI to submit Gyanvapi survey report; next hearing on Dec 18

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 11 (ANI): The Varanasi district court on Monday granted one more week to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to submit a scientific survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

This comes after ASI asked for one week’s time to file the survey report. The court fixed December 18 as the next date of hearing in the matter.

On the previous date, the court had given the ASI 10 days’ time on November 30 and ordered it to file the report within the “provided time.”

The Court had earlier asked it to submit its survey report by November 17. Later, ASI was granted time until November 28 to file its report.

The survey has been held for 100 days, during which the ASI has asked for several extensions. The survey had concluded almost a month ago and the ASI had sought extra time to file its report.

The last extension was on November 18, when the ASI asked for another 15 days. The court had allowed it 10 days. The ASI had been conducting the survey since August 4 on the mosque premises. It leaves out the Wuzukhana area, which has been sealed by the orders of the Supreme Court.

On November 2, the ASI told the court it had “completed” the survey but would need some more time to compile the report, along with the details of the equipment used in the survey.

The court had granted additional time till November 17 for submitting the document. The survey was ordered by a Varanasi court on July 21, following a petition by four women who sought permission to pray at the Shringar Gauri Shrine which is behind the western wall of the temple.

Earlier, in August this year, the Allahabad High Court allowed the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.