Finish Gyanvapi survey by May 17, orders Kashi court

VARANASI: Rejecting the request of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid (AIM) for changing the advocate commissioner in Shringar Gauri worship case, the court of the civil judge (senior division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar on Thursday ordered that Ajay Kumar Mishra will continue as advocate commissioner.
The court has appointed two additional advocates to assist the advocate commissioner - Vishal Singh as special advocate commissioner and Ajay Pratap Singh as assistant advocate commissioner. The court also strictly directed the district administration to ensure that the survey is not delayed by citing some reasons and asked them to submit the survey report before it on May 17.
Anyone who tries to stall the survey should be dealt with sternly, the court said.
As per court's directive issued on April 26, the advocate commissioner had started the work of survey and videography on the Gyanvapi premises on May 6 in presence of both parties amidst protests. But the survey was stalled on May 7 due to a protest by AIM, one of the respondents in the case.
The AIM also filed a petition in the court on May 7, requesting for change of advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra while accusing him of working under the pressure of the plaintiffs.
The hearing took place in the court till Wednesday and the court issued its order on the AIM's petition on Thursday afternoon making it clear that the advocate commissioner would not be changed but he would be assisted by two more advocates to complete the survey.
The court has also made it clear that the survey process would not be hampered in case of absence of any advocate. The plaintiffs as well as respondents 1-3 (UP government, DM, and police commissioner) said the allegations levelled against the advocate commissioner are untrue and baseless.
The court observed the plaintiffs have filed a 41-page petition with details, which can be understood by an ordinary person. “The plaintiffs have clearly requested that the survey be done according to the details given in the petition. It is beyond comprehension of the court why the district administration failed to understand such a clear language. The survey of the commission could have been completed if the district administration had taken interest,” the court observed.
“The DM and commissioner of police are ordered that it will be their personal responsibility to get the commission proceedings completed. The DGP and the chief secretary are directed to supervise so that the administrative officers do not make any excuse to postpone the commission proceedings,” the court said. The plaintiffs of the Shringar Gauri case are Rakhi Singh of Delhi, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak, all natives of Varanasi, who filed the petition on April 18, 2021, seeking permission for daily worship of the idols of Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman and Nandi and stopping the opponents from causing any damage to the statues.