Gyanvapi mosque row: No hearing in Varanasi court today amid lawyers' strike

No hearing on the Gyanvapti Mosque matter will be held today in Varanasi court due to the strike of lawyers. Speaking to ANI, Dhirendra Nath Sharma, Benaras Bar Association President, said, "I have received phone calls from the general secretary and I have been told that several petitions have come for admission. Gyanvapi Mosque matter is very important, so all the members of the executive have been called."

Sharma further said, "Unless we hold a meeting, we will not be in a position to grant permission to anyone. But I would like to say clearly that even if we grant permission, it will be done only after 2 pm." 

Bar Association has an objection to a notice issued by the Uttar Pradesh government to the lawyers. Lawyers are holding a statewide strike over the matter. Advocate Madan Mohan Yadav, a lawyer for the plaintiff, demanded the Bar Association allow important proceedings to be heard on Wednesday itself.

READ | Gujarat: 12 killed as wall of salt factory collapses in Morbi, many trapped under debris

"We have moved an application (at Varanasi court) seeking permission from Bar Association to let the hearing continue," Advocate Yadav said. 

Following the strike by lawyers, the Muslim side sought two days from the court to file their objection plea. Notably, the Court Commissioner has also been granted two days by the court on Tuesday to file his report. 

Meanwhile, an application has been filed in Varanasi court to demolish the wall beside wazukhana where a Shivling is claimed to be found during the survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises, said lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side on Wednesday.

READ | SSC Delhi Police Head Constable Recruitment 2022: Notification to release today on ssc.nic.in, check important dates

The Varanasi civil court on Tuesday removed the Advocate-Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra from the panel formed to survey the Gyanvapi mosque.

The court-appointed special Commission has also received two-more days to submit the survey report. The three-day-long court-monitored videography survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi concluded on Monday.

The Hindu petitioner in the case, Sohan Lal Arya on Monday claimed that the committee found a Shivling at the complex.