Gyanvapi - Kashi Vishwanath case: Supreme Court to hear Hindu party's plea for consolidation of suits on April 21

The Supreme Court will hear on April 21 a plea filed by the Hindu parties to consolidate all suits concerning Gyanvapi - Kashi Vishwanath dispute which are pending before a Varanasi court..The case was mentioned by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain before a a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala for urgent listing. Jain submitted that the Varanasi district court was not passing an order on the issue.The apex court assured the petitioner that the case will not be deleted from the list on its upcoming date of hearing..The Gyanvapi dispute arose when Hindu devotees approached a civil court claiming the right to worship inside the premises of the Gyanvapi Mosque, on the ground that it was a Hindu temple and still houses Hindu deities.The civil court ordered a survey of the Mosque by an advocate commissioner. The advocate commissioner then conducted the videographed survey and submitted a report to the civil court.Based on the survey report, the Hindu parties have claimed that one of the objects discovered at the site is a Shivling while the Muslim parties have disputed the same and said that it is only a water fountain..Meanwhile, the suit before the civil court was transferred to the District Judge by the Supreme Court on May 20 in view of the sensitivity of the issue involved.The District Court, on September 12, held that the suit was not barred under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991..On November 17, a Varanasi court found the suit filed by Hindu parties seeking possessory rights over Gyanvapi Mosque maintainable. This decision was appealed before the High Court by the by Committee of Management of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid which reserved its verdict in December..Further in October, a Varanasi Court rejected a the plea filed by the Hindu parties seeking directions to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific investigation to ascertain whether the object found during the survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises is a Shivling or a fountain. This prompted an appeal before the Allahabad High Court.The High Court also asked the Director General of ASI to submit his opinion on whether carbon dating, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), excavation and other methods to determine the age of the disputed object at Gyanvapi mosque, would damage the object.