New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred a recent Allahabad High Court order that directed authorities to conduct a “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of a structure found at Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque complex last year, which Hindus claim to be a “Shivling”.
The top court said the implications of the Allahabad High Court order on 13 May merited a closer scrutiny, adding it needed to tread carefully in the matter.
The apex court also issued notices to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on the plea of the mosque’s panel challenging the high court’s order.
Appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the state would examine — in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) — if there was an alternative method to ascertain the age of this “Shivling”.
Ordering a survey to determine the age of the structure, the Allahabad High Court last Friday had also asked authorities to ensure no harm was done to it.
While Hindus claim the structure is a “Shivling”, mosque authorities maintain it is part of a fountain in the “wazu khana”, where ablutions are performed before namaz.
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