New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed a revision plea moved by the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee – which manages Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque – challenging the maintainability of a suit filed by five Hindu women to worship in the mosque compound.
The Masjid Committee had moved the high court after a Varanasi court’s order on 12 September, 2022 which ruled the suit by the women was maintainable. The high court in essence upheld the lower court’s decision, allowing the case to continue here.
In his order last September, Varanasi District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishwesha had observed that the suit of the plaintiffs – the five Hindu women – was not barred by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, the Waqf Act, 1995, and the UP Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 as claimed by the Masjid Committee.
The Hindu women had moved the suit before the Varanasi court seeking the right to worship Maa Shringar Gauri on the outer wall of the mosque complex, which is located next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
The women claimed the present mosque premises was once a Hindu temple which was demolished by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, after which the present mosque was built.
Also read: Gyanvapi suit: Why Varanasi court ruled in favour of Hindu petitioners, found plea ‘maintainable’