HC defers hearing on plea against Gyanvapi mosque puja order to Feb 15

The Allahabad High Court on Monday, 12 February adjourned till February 15 the hearing on a plea challenging the Varanasi district court order allowing Hindu prayers in a cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal passed the order on the appeal filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, which looks after the affairs of the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

After hearing the counsels for the Muslim side -- Punit Gupta and SFA Naqvi -- at length, Justice Agrawal fixed February 15 as the date for further hearing in the matter on Naqvi's request.

Appearing on behalf of the mosque committee, SFA Naqvi submitted before the court that what right the plaintiff (Vyas) has in the disputed property is not decided yet and therefore without ascertaining the right of the plaintiff, the order to permit puja in the cellar is illegal.

The Muslim side also filed certified copies of court orders which were not filed earlier, which were taken on record.

The Hindu side in the case also filed some papers to prove their possession on the property in dispute.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee moved the high court on February 2 within hours of the Supreme Court refusing to hear its plea against the Varanasi district court order and asking it to approach the high court.

The Varanasi district court had ruled on 31 January that a priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque.