Allahabad HC ruling paves way for Gyanvapi Mosque case hearing at district court

PRAYYAGRAJ: Justice JJ Munir of Allahabad HC dismissed Wednesday the plea of Anjuman Islamia Masjid, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, challenging the Varanasi district judge's order on worship of Shringar Gauri and other deities, paving way for Varanasi district court to take up the plea.
Five women had moved a local Varanasi court in August 2021 seeking permission for daily worship of the idols on the outer wall of Gyanvapi. The court of the civil judge (senior division) ordered a video survey of the complex, after which the AIM moved the Supreme Court. The SC directed the Varanasi district judge to take up the case and first decide whether the case was maintainable. The AIM had pleaded that it was not maintainable as it violated the Places of Worship Act.
District judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha said on September 12, 2022: "In the present case, the plaintiffs are demanding the right to worship Maa Sringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, and Lord Hanuman at the disputed property; therefore, the civil court has jurisdiction to decide this case."
"Further, according to the plaintiffs, they had been worshipping Maa Shringar Gauri, Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesh since a long time till 1993. After 1993, they were allowed to worship the gods only once a year under regulation of the state of UP. Thus, according to the plaintiffs, they worshipped... regularly even after August 15, 1947," the district judge had said. "Therefore... the suit is not barred by Section 9 of the act."
AIM moved HC against this order, but Justice Munir upheld it Wednesday.