The petitioners from Hindu side had appealed for an investigation by the Archaeological Survey of India in the certain 'sealed area' of the mosque where a 'Shivling' was reportedly found in 2022.

The Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan have issued a notice to Anjuman Intezemia Masajid, Committee of Management of the Gyanvapi Mosque for a response in the matter.

The apex court had ordered sealing of the ablution pond inside the mosque, where purportedly a `Shivling' during a court-mandated survey on May 16, 2022. The Muslim side has however maintained it as a fountain.

The application argued that since part of the building was sealed by an interim order in May 2022, confirmed by another order in November 2022, the ASI had not been able to survey the sealed area, which is said to contain crucial evidence for the case.

“It is submitted that there are important evidence and material relating to the temple within the sealed area and same are importance pieces of evidence for decision of the case. The portion of the building in question is also required to be surveyed by ASI in the same manner as the remaining area of the building in question has been surveyed by various scientific techniques as contained in report of December 18, 2023,” the application said, PTI reported.

What Did The Supreme Court Say?

The apex court has scheduled a hearing for December 17 and will also hear other related petitions, including one seeking to consolidate all suits and transfer them from the Varanasi district court to the Allahabad High Court.

The 17 suits are related to the claim that the mosque was built over the 'destroyed' Kashi Vishwanath temple. The pleas have already been heard in the Allahabad High Court.

The bench also mentioned that the cases could be combined in one trial court, preferably the District Court where the main case is ongoing. The high court would serve as the first court to review the evidence.

According to a TOI report, the apex court has then said that all the issues pertaining to Gyanvapi Mosuqe including the ASI survey of the sealed area can be heard by SC on a weekly or fornightly basis and an initial hearing on the matters has been scheduled for Demember 17.

Gyanvapi Mosque's Sealed Area | All You Need To Know

The sealed area in question was ordered closed by the Supreme Court in May 2022 after the alleged discovery of the `Shivling' during a court-mandated survey conducted near the mosque's ablution pond.

The Muslim side, however, maintains that the structure is a fountain.

The Allahabad High Court had earlier approved the ASI survey of the mosque but it excluded the sealed zone area. The apex court bench today issued the directive following HC's earlier approval.

The surveys done by the ASI under court orders on the site previously, have reportedly found evidence that supports the claims of the Hindu side.

However, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee and the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board have always disagreed with the claims as they argued that the findings go against the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which prevents changing the status of religious sites as they were in 1947.