India Supreme Court to Hear Gyanvapi Worship Petition

The Supreme Court of India will hear a petition filed by Hindu groups seeking permission to perform worship at a Shiva lingam located in the sealed portion of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi during the sacred month of Shravan. The area was sealed in 2022 following an interim court order. Both Hindu and Muslim parties have declined a proposed mediation under the Court’s “Samadhan Samaaroh” initiative and have opted to resolve the dispute through regular judicial proceedings.

Earlier legal actions include a January 2024 order by the Varanasi district court allowing Hindu worship in the southern basement (Vyas chamber) of the complex, followed by the Allahabad High Court dismissing an appeal by the mosque management committee and directing the district magistrate to facilitate worship in accordance with the Court’s directions. The Hindu side asserts that the mosque was built on the ruins of a temple, while the mosque side maintains that the property is a legally recognized waqf asset.