Supreme Court refuses to stay prayers in Gyanvapi’s ‘Vyas Ka Tehkhana’

SC asked both parties to maintain the status quo so that both parties could perform their prayers in their respective areas

PGurus Newsdesk

April 1, 2024

SC asked both parties to maintain the status quo so that both parties could perform their prayers in their respective areas

Hindu worship to continue at Gyanvapi premises, says Supreme Court

On Monday, the Supreme Court refused to stop worship in ‘Vyas Ka Tehkhana‘ of the Gyanvapi complex.

A bench comprising CJI D Y Chandrachud along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has directed both Hindu and Muslim factions to uphold the existing conditions at the Gyanvapi premises, facilitating both communities to conduct ‘puja‘ and ‘namaz‘.

The bench acknowledged the distinction between the areas designated for ‘puja’ and Muslim prayers within the Tehkhana.

Additionally, the bench emphasized that any changes to the status quo require approval from the highest court.

However, the apex court asked both parties to maintain the status quo so that both parties could perform their prayers in their respective areas. The court issued notice to trial court petitioner Shailendra Vyas on the mosque side’s plea against worship in the basement. The next hearing will take place in the third week of July.

The SC said that Hindus would enter from the South and pray in Tehkhana and Muslims would enter from the Northern side for prayer. “At this stage, bearing in mind the fact that namaz is being offered by Muslim communities unhindered after the district court and High Court orders and that prayers in Tehkhana are limited to the Hindu priests, it is important to maintain the status quo so that both communities can perform religious worship in above terms,” the bench stated in its order.

Furthermore, it served notice to the Hindu plaintiffs regarding an appeal from the mosque committee contesting a ruling by the Allahabad High Court regarding the ‘puja’ of deities within the ‘Vyas Tehkhana’.

The mosque committee lodged the appeal against the High Court’s decision, arguing that the authorities were acting hastily following a directive from the Varanasi Court to conduct the ‘Puja’ at night.

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