Gyanvapi mosque: SC defers scientific survey of “Shivling”

The Supreme Court on Friday postponed the “scientific survey,” including carbon dating, of a “Shivling” said to have been discovered during a videographic survey last year at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and KV Viswanathan put the carbon dating of the “Shivling” on hold, saying that the implementation of the Allahabad High Court’s order would be postponed until the next date of hearing.

 “Since the implications of the impugned order merit closet scrutiny, the implementation of the directions concerned in the order shall stand deferred till the next date,” said the bench in its order.

The bench also issued notice to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on the appeal of the Gyanvapi mosque management committee against the High Court’s recent order for scientific investigation by ASI to determine the age of “Shivling”.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, who appeared on behalf of the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, informed the bench that the carbon dating and survey would begin on Monday.

Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, appeared for the State of Uttar Pradesh and argued that there should be no damage to the structure, which one side calls a “Shivling” and the other a fountain. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is representing the Hindu petitioners in the case, stated that ASI experts have already informed him that no damage will be done to the structure.