SC agrees to list plea seeking puja, darshan of 'Shivling' found at Gyanvapi premises

On May 20, the SC transferred the proceedings of the suit by Hindu parties seeking worshipping rights at the Gynavapi mosque to the district judge in Varanasi

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on July 21 a plea for permission to worship and perform 'darshan' of the 'Shivling' purportedly found during the court ordered survey in the Gyanvapi mosque's ablution area.

The plea filed by seven women also sought a direction by the top court to conduct ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey and carbon dating by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) of the Shivling.

Advocate Vishnu Jain mentioned the plea before a bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana.

Jain said the plea is for puja and darshan of the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi mosque premises, and also for the dating of the Shivling, and urged the top court to urgently list the matter.

He pointed out that appeal by Muslim side challenging survey, ordered by the district court is coming up for hearing on July 21 and asked the court to list this plea along with it.

The top court allowed his request to list the matter on July 21.

On May 20, the Supreme Court transferred the proceedings of the suit by Hindu parties seeking worshipping rights at the Gynavapi mosque to the district judge in Varanasi.

However, the court had then said its May 17 interim order directing protection of the 'Shivling', and free access to Muslims to the site for offering namaz should remain operational for eight weeks, after district judge's decision in the matter.

In their plea, the women petitioners also asked the top court to direct the central government to install lequipment to live stream on the website of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Trust at Shivalingam existing within the old temple complex discovered in the advocate commissioner's survey on May 16, 2022, order to have virtual darshan and perform symbolic puja.