New Delhi : The Supreme Court agreed to set up a bench on Friday to hear the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath case in which the Hindu side has sought extension of an order by which protection of an area where a “Shivling” was found in Gyanvapi premises was ordered.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud on Thursday took note of the submissions of advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for some Hindu devotees, that the May 17 order of the apex court granting protection was expiring on November 12 and it needed to be extended.
“We will constitute a bench at 3 pm tomorrow,” the CJI said.
While mentioning the plea for urgent hearing, Jain said the order of protecting the area would be expiring.
On being inquired about the fate of the plea of mosque committee challenging the maintainability of petition of Hindu devotees, the lawyer said the trial court had rejected it and an appeal is pending in the Allahabad High Court.
On May 17, the top court had passed an interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a ‘Shivling’ was said to be found in the survey.
The apex court had also allowed Muslims to offer namaz in the Gyanvapi mosque.

Press Trust of India