VARANASI: The Varanasi district Court issued a directive today ordering the public release of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report on the same day, with physical copies to be provided to both parties. Since there are no conditions imposed, the report is likely to be made public as well. The ASI objected to delivering the report via email, leading to an agreement between both sides to obtain hard copies of the report. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, conveyed that the court considered the arguments from both parties, ultimately reaching a consensus that physical copies of the ASI report would be furnished to both sides.

“The court listened to both sides today. After hearing both sides, an agreement was reached that a certified copy of ASI’s report be made available to both sides. As soon as the court passes the order, our legal team will apply for the certified copy…,”  he said.

On January 16, the Supreme Court granted approval to an application filed by Hindu women petitioners. They sought directions for the cleaning of the entire ‘wazukhana’ area within the Gyanvapi mosque, where the purported ‘Shivling’ was discovered, with an emphasis on maintaining hygienic conditions. The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, mandated that the cleaning of the ‘wazukhana’ area be carried out under the supervision of the district administration of Varanasi, in accordance with previous orders issued by the apex court.

Gyanvapi mosque management committee said it supports cleaning of the water tank, which has remained sealed on apex court’s orders for nearly two years. The area of ‘wazukhana’ was sealed in 2022 on a Supreme Court order after the discovery of what was said to be a ‘Shivling’. A structure — claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side — was found in the mosque premises on May 16, 2022, during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The ‘Wazu’ area of the Gyanvapi mosque is the centre of the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute between Hindus and Muslim parties in the case since the Hindu parties claim that ‘Shivling’ has been found in that spot, however, the Muslim side disputed the same and said that it is only a water fountain.