The Supreme Court today extended the protection of the area where a 'Shivling' was stated to be found at the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex premises in Varanasi.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha allowed the Hindu parties to move an application before the Varanasi district judge for consolidation of all the lawsuit filed on the Gyanvapi row.
It also directed the Hindu parties to file their replies within three weeks on the appeal filed by the management committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid challenging the Allahabad High Court order on the appointment of a survey commissioner.
Here are the Highlights on Gyanvapi 'Shivling' case:
Just in: Supreme Court has extended the interim order of May 20 until further orders. The 'Shivling' found in the mosque will be protected and the area seal till further orders.
On May 17, the top court had passed an interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a 'Shivling' was said to be found in the survey.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Thursday took note of the submissions of advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for some Hindu devotees, that the May 17 order of the apex court granting protection was expiring on November 12 and it needed to be extended.
"We will constitute a bench at 3 pm tomorrow," the CJI said.
The Supreme Court will hear the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath case in which the Hindu side has sought extension of an order by which protection of an area where a "Shivling" was found in Gyanvapi premises was ordered.