Gyanvapi civil suits not barred by Places of Worship Act: Allahabad HC

Allahabad High Court rules civil suits by Hindu petitioners seeking temple restoration at Gyanvapi mosque not barred.

The Allahabad High court on Tuesday ruled that civil suits filed by Hindu petitioners and deity seeking restoration of temple at the Gyanvapi mosque premises “are not barred” by the Places of Worship Act. The court rejected the challenge to the demands by the mosque committees.

The bench headed by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal said that this case affects two major communities of the country and hence asked the trial court to expeditiously decide it in 6 months.

The court was hearing five petitions challenging the maintainability of a civil suit pending before a Varanasi court seeking the restoration of a temple.

The petitions filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC) and the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board have also challenged a Varanasi court order of April 8, 2021 to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Gyanvapi mosque.

On December 8, JusticeAgarwal had reserved judgment after hearing the counsels of the petitioners and the respondent.

The AIMC, which looks after the management of Gyanvapi mosque located adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath temple at Varanasi, has challenged the maintainability of a suit filed before a Varanasi court, wherein the Hindu petitioners have sought restoration of a temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque presently exists.

According to Hindu side plaintiff, the Gyanvapi mosque is a part of the temple.