Varanasi court gives another week to ASI to submit Gyanvapi survey report

The Varanasi district court gave one more week to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday to submit a scientific survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

District Judge A K Vishvesh gave the additional time of a week to the ASI to conclude the survey and submit its report. The court fixed December 18 as the next date of hearing in the matter.

On November 2, the ASI had told the court it had "completed" the survey but may take some more time to compile the report, along with the details of the equipment used in the survey work. The court then granted additional time till November 17 for submitting the document.


On October 5, the court had granted four more weeks to the ASI and said the duration of the survey would not be extended beyond this. On August 4, the court granted the ASI an additional month to complete the survey, extending its original deadline (from August 4) to September 4. It provided another four-week extension for the survey work on September 6.

The survey had begun after the Allahabad High Court upheld a Varanasi district court order and ruled that the step was "necessary in the interest of justice" and would benefit both the Hindu and Muslim sides to the dispute. During an earlier hearing, the mosque management committee had objected to the survey, alleging that the ASI was digging the basement as well as other places of the mosque complex without permission and accumulating debris on the western wall, posing a risk that the structure might collapse. The ASI team was not authorised to survey the premises by removing debris or garbage, the mosque panel had said.

(With PTI inputs)