Varanasi, 28 Nov: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) urged three additional weeks from the district court in Varanasi on Tuesday to complete the scientific survey report for the disputed Gyanvapi complex. The plea will be heard in court on Wednesday.
Varanasi’s district court has ordered the ASI to produce a report on the Gyanvapi complex by November 28. The ASI requested a three-week extension on Tuesday, citing a need for additional time to assimilate information collected by various specialists, according to lawyer for the Hindu side Madan Mohan Yadav.
The ASI stated in its application that its specialists are working on a variety of data acquired by archaeologists, surveyors and other professionals, among others.
Assimilation of information supplied by many specialists and tools is a tough and time-consuming process, and the report will need some more time to complete for final submission.
The court is therefore requested to grant ASI three additional weeks to submit it,” Yadav added, referring the ASI’s appeal.
According to him, the court has set November 29 as the date for considering the request for a time extension. Following court instructions, the ASI has been undertaking the survey in the blocked part of the Gyanvapi grounds, excluding the sealed section, since August 4.
A scientific examination of the Gyanvapi grounds, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, was requested in order to verify whether the 17th-century mosque was built over a pre-existing Hindu temple construction.
