SC revives plea of Gyanvapi panel which was disposed of while staying ASI survey

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday revived a plea by the Gyanvapi panel that it had inadvertently disposed of on July 24 while staying an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey on the mosque premises to determine if it was built upon a temple.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia of the Gyanvapi mosque, that instead of its interim plea seeking halting of the ASI work, the main plea was disposed of by the court on the last date of hearing.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government and the ASI, said that he has no objection to the revival of the special leave petition of the mosque committee.

In the main plea, the mosque committee had sought dismissal of the lawsuit of the Hindu party in the Varanasi district court under order VII Rule 11(c) of the Civil Procedure Code for filing it on a paper which has not been duly "stamped and authorised".