Allahabad High Court Rules In Favor Of Hindu Parties Seeking Rights To Worship In Gyanvapi

The Allahabad High Court upheld a Varanasi court decision today (Wednesday, 31 May), allowing Hindu groups to pursue a legal case seeking permission to worship in the Gyanvapi Mosque. The impugned case was filed by the Committee of Management of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, Varanasi.

The High Court delivered the verdict today, after having reserved it previously on December 24 last year. The Allahabad HC rejected the revised petition from Anjuman Intezamia Masjid against the district judge's order which had upheld the maintainability of the suit filed by the Hindu Parties.

On September 12, 2022, District Judge Dr AK Vishvesha had rejected the Muslim party's plea to contest the suit's maintainability under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC.

Reportedly, the case had arisen when Hindu worshippers had approached the Civil Court, seeking access to the Gyanvapi Mosque and arguing that it was a Hindu temple and still contained their deities. On the order of the Civil Court, an advocate commissioner had carried out a video survey of a Mosque and submitted the report to the court.

Thereafter, the Muslim parties had submitted an application to challenge the suit's validity under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC. Their contention was based on The Places of Worship Act, 1991, which protects the status of all religious structures as of August 15, 1947. The plaintiffs on the Hindu side had argued they did not seek a mosque-to-temple conversion, and the trial court had agreed.

The order comes as big win for the Hindu side as they continue their battle seeking right to worship in the Gyanvapi Mosque-erstwhile temple.