The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with a Allahabad High Court allowing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
Earlier in the day, the high court dismissed a petition filed by the Gyanvapi committee challenging a district court order directing the ASI to conduct the survey to determine if the mosque was built upon a temple.
On May 17 last year, the SC had passed an interim order directing the Varanasi district magistrate to ensure protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where the structure claimed to be a 'shivling' was found during a survey.
The plea has contended that Gyanvapi mosque is exempt from the Places of Worship Act, because temples within the Gyanvapi mosque complex fall under Ancient Monuments and Archaeological sites and Remains Act, 1958.