Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath case: Muslim parties move Supreme Court for allowing Wuzu during Ramzan

In the batch of pleas concerning the Gyanvapi - Kashi Vishwanath dispute, Muslim parties have moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to carry out the practice of Wuzu or ablution inside the Mosque premises during the month of Ramzan..The issue was mentioned by Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi on Thursday before a bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud who agreed to list the case on April 14."Please file an interlocutory application in this regard and we will take this up on April 14," said the bench. .The Wuzu area of the Gyanvapi mosque is the centre of the dispute between Hindus and Muslims since the Hindu parties claim that a Shivling has been found in that spot..The Gyanvapi dispute arose when Hindu devotees approached a civil court claiming the right to worship inside the premises of the Gyanvapi Mosque, on the ground that it was a Hindu temple and still houses Hindu deities..The civil court had ordered a survey of the Mosque by an advocate commissioner. The advocate commissioner then conducted the video-graphed survey and submitted a report to the civil court.Based on the survey report, the Hindu parties claimed that an object discovered at the site is a Shivling. The Muslim parties, however, disputed the same and said that it is only a water fountain..Meanwhile, the suit before the civil court was transferred to the District Judge by the Supreme Court on May 20 in view of the sensitivity of the issue involved.The District Court, on September 12, held that the suit was not barred under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991..On November 17, a Varanasi court found the suit filed by Hindu parties seeking possessory rights over Gyanvapi Mosque maintainable. This decision was appealed before the High Court by the by Committee of Management of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid which reserved its verdict in December..Further in October, a Varanasi Court rejected a the plea filed by the Hindu parties seeking directions to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific investigation to ascertain whether the object found during the survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises is a Shivling or a fountain. This prompted an appeal before the Allahabad High Court..The High Court also asked the Director General of ASI to submit his opinion on whether carbon dating, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), excavation and other methods to determine the age of the disputed object at Gyanvapi mosque, would damage the object.In the case's most recent development, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday pulled up the DG of the ASI for failing to file her response as directed by the High Court. .The Supreme Court will also hear on April 21, the the Hindu parties' plea to consolidate all suits concerning the dispute which are pending before a Varanasi court.