Gyanvapi Masjid Case: Hearing Concludes for the Day, To Continue on 12 July

The masjid committee has contended that the suit filed is barred by the Places of Worship Act.

A district court in Varanasi on Monday, 4 July resumed hearing Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee's arguments challenging the suit filed by five Hindu women seeking year-round access to perform their religious prayers at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

The previous hearing in the matter had taken place on 30 May, and the matter is slated to continue to be heard on 12 July.

“Muslim side has given its arguments, date for the next hearing is July 12 keeping in mind everyone's convenience,” advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu petitioners, told ANI.

The counsel for the masjid committee has contended that the suit seeking year-round access is barred by the Places of Worship Act (1991), which expressly prohibits conversion of any place of worship into anything different from the religious character of the place as it was on 15 August 1947 (with the exception of the Ayodhya dispute).