ASI seeks 15 more days to submit report on survey of Varanasi's Gyanvapi Mosque

The Archaeological Survey of India sought 15 more days from Varanasi court to submit scientific survey report of Gyanvapi mosque complex, said Centre's counsel Amit Srivastava on Friday.

Varanasi court will hear later today ASI application for more time to submit survey report, said Srivastava.

At present, the ASI is carrying out a survey of the mosque premises, except the wazookhana, to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.


The survey began after the Allahabad High Court upheld a Varanasi district court order.

The mosque side had also moved the Supreme Court against the high court's order. The apex court had on August 4 refused to stay the high court's order on an ASI survey.

In its order, the bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, however, asked the Archaeological Survey of India not to carry out any invasive act during the survey. This ruled out any excavations, which the Varanasi court had said can be conducted, if necessary.