Don't know anything about the case, how can we pass orders? SC on plea against Gyanvapi mosque survey

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to issue any direction for maintaining status quo with regard to a survey ordered in Gyanvyapi Mosque at Varanasi.

"We don't know details of the case. How can we pass orders?" a bench presided over by CJI N V Ramana said as senior advocate Huzefa Afmadi mentioned the matter.

He said a Varanasi court allowed an advocate commissioner to survey the Gyanvapi mosque. "Please grant status quo. penny will drop then," he said, adding the mosque has been covered under Places of Worship Act.

Also Read — Gyanvapi Mosque video survey to continue, court seeks report by May 17

"We have no idea about this case. Let me look at the papers, We will list it," the bench said.

The counsel submitted that the survey is taking place today.

The bench, however, said it cannot pass any order as of now and it would list the matter.

The plea before the top court was filed by the committee of management of the Anjuman e-Intezamia Masjid Varanasi for a stay on survey of the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi masjid complex. It challenged the validity of Allahabad High Court's April 21 order which dismissed the plea against the civil court's order for the survey.

The Varanasi court had first ordered the survey last month after five Hindu women filed a petition seeking permission for daily worship at the Shringar Gauri temple allegedly situated inside the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque premises.

On Thursday, the court said the survey would continue in the entire Gyanvapi mosque, including the basement and closed rooms. It also rejected the demand of Muslim parties to remove advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar Mishra, but appointed an additional commissioner and an assistant commissioner to assist Mishra.

Muslim parties had objected to the survey. The court sought a report in the matter from the commissioner on May 17.