Gyanvapi mosque case: SC defers Allahabad HC order allowing ’scientific survey’ to determine age of ‘Shivling’

Gyanvapi Mosque case: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Allahabad High Court (HC) order allowing the "scientific survey" of the alleged "Shivling" said to have been found in the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi last year to determine its age. The Supreme Court was hearing a plea challenging the “scientific survey” including carbon dating of the “Shivling” inside the Gyanvapi mosque.

The Supreme Court has also said since the implications of the Allahabad High Court order that allowed carbon dating of the “Shivling” merit closer scrutiny, the implementation of the directions concerned in the order shall stand deferred till the next date.

The Central government and the Uttar Pradesh government have agreed to the petition for adjourning the proposed “scientific survey” of 'Shivling' for the time being. The Supreme Court has also issued notices to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on the plea of the mosque panel against the high court order for the scientific survey and the carbon dating of “Shivling”.

“We need to tread carefully in this matter, HC order needs closer scrutiny,” the Supreme Court said. The Solicitor General old the Supreme Court that: “Centre, UP will examine in consultation with ASI if there is [an] alternative method to ascertain [the] age of 'Shivling' found at Gyanvapi.”

A week ago, the Allahabad High Court allowed the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct carbon dating of the alleged “Shivling” inside the Gyanvapi mosque. The Allahabad HC noted that ASI should conduct the carbon dating without damaging or causing any harm to the structure.

During the court-mandated survey, a structure -- claimed to be a "Shivling" by the Hindu side and a "fountain" by the Muslim side -- was found in the Gyanvapi mosque premises on May 16, 2022. The Gyanvapi Mosque is located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The Muslim side has claimed that the structure is a fountain in the ‘wazu khana’ where the ablution is performed before the namaz.

The Allahabad High Court on May 12 had set aside the Varanasi District judge's order which had rejected the application for a “scientific survey” and “carbon dating” of the said "Shivling" on October 14, 2022.

The High Court directed the Varanasi District judge to proceed, in accordance with the law, on the application by the Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the “Shivling”.