The mosque committee has approached the Supreme Court for challenging an order by the Allahabad High Court stating that a batch of civil suits by Hindu parties pending before a Varanasi civil court are not barred by the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
The suit in question was filed by Hindu worshippers and who o behalf of deities, seek the right to worship in the Gyanvapi mosque and the restoration of the temple at the disputed site.
The SLP filed by Anjuman Intazamia Masazid Varanasi on December 19 was heard by bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra .
During the brief exchange today, the court directed the mosque committee’s latest plea with the other special leave petitions on the issue.
The mosque committe was represented by Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, who submitted that the SLP which is listed was in relation to the High Court’s order holding the oldest suit (1991 suit) to be maintainable.
Advocate Ahmado said that there are other SLPs filed against the HC order relating to the subsequent suits (filed in 2021 and later seeking right to worship), which are not listed today.
The plaintiff was represented by Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan, who submitted that the Supreme Court has earlier refused to interfere with the appointment of commissioner.The bench decided to tag the present matter with the connected matters.
The state was represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who appeared for the State and Senior Advocate Harish Salve who appeared for two of the private respondents respectively.