Area where 'Shivling' found on Gyanvapi mosque premises to be protected until further orders, rules SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday extended till further orders the protection of the area where a ‘Shivling’ had been found at the Gyanvapi mosque premises in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, after both the Hindu and Muslim sides earlier agreed to temporarily retain the ‘position of the Shivling’. Newly-appointed Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha allowed the Hindu petitioners to file an application before the Varanasi district judge for consolidation of all the legal cases filed on the Gyanvapi dispute. The three-judge bench also directed the Hindu petitioners to file their responses within three weeks on the appeal filed by the management committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid which had challenged the Allahabad High Court order on the appointment of a survey commissioner to work towards settling the dispute. Earlier this year, on May 17, the apex court had passed an interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where the ‘Shivling’ had allegedly been found as described in the court-ordered survey. Later that week, on May 20, the top court had transferred a civil suit filed by Hindu devotees on the Gyanvapi mosque from the civil judge (senior division) to the district judge of Varanasi. The SC had stated that looking at the “sensitivity” of the issue, it would be better if a senior judicial officer with more than 25-30 years of experience handled the dispute. According to the interim SC order of May 17, the protection of the area where the ‘Shivling’ is believed to have been found and allowing Muslims to offer prayers on the mosque premises, shall remain in operation till the maintainability of the suit is decided by the district judge. Both parties were allowed by the top court to approach a higher court later. The Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri dispute grabbed headlines initially in April, when a lower court was hearing a plea by a group of women seeking permission for worship of Hindu idols on the mosque’s outer walls. It was then that the court ordered a video survey of the Gyanvapi complex. Based on the findings of the court-appointed survey, the Hindu group then claimed that an object resembling a ‘Shivling’ had been found on the premises of the mosque. The Muslim community in the area, however refuted the claim and pointed out that the purported object was nothing but the base of a water fountain used before offering namaz. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.