Gyanvapi case hearing deferred due to lawyer’s strike

Varanasi: Lawyers in Varanasi have gone on a day’s strike due to which the hearing on the Gyanvapi mosque case has been stalled. The court will soon announce new dates for the hearing.

A petition seeking demolition of a wall and removal of debris for a fresh survey had been moved by the Hindu petitioners and was scheduled to be heard on Wednesday.

Both the Supreme Court and Varanasi court had taken important decisions in the case on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court directed the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a ‘Shivling’ was said to be found.

However, the court said that this must be done without affecting the right of Muslims to offer prayer at the mosque.

Effectively, the top court stayed the Varanasi court’s May 16 order to seal the area and prohibit the entry of people.

However, proceedings in the Varanasi civil court have not been stayed.

The Varanasi court granted the team tasked with conducting a videography survey of the disputed complex two more days to file its report. The court also removed one of the commissioners appointed to conduct the survey.

The court removed Advocate Commissioner Ajay Mishra for displaying ‘irresponsible behaviour towards the discharge of his duties’ after it was alleged that he had deployed a personal cameraman to leak information to the media.