SC agrees to hear plea of Muslim side against HC order on determining age of ‘Shivling’ at Gyanvapi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea challenging the Allahabad High Court order of conducting a “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, to determine the age of a ‘Shivling’ which was said to have been found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala took note of the submissions of senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, and agreed to list the plea for hearing on Friday.

“The Allahabad High Court has passed an order pending the appeal,” the senior lawyer said.

The Allahabad High Court on May 12 ordered determination of the age of the structure claimed to be Shivling in the Gyanvapi mosque using modern technology.

It set aside an October 14 order of the Varanasi District Court that rejected a plea for scientific investigation, including carbon dating, of the structure found in May 2022 during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The high court directed the Varanasi district judge to proceed, in accordance with law, on the application by the Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the ‘Shivling’.