Varanasi’s district court has issued an order stating that seven related cases concerning the Gyanvapi complex dispute will be consolidated and heard collectively. The leading case among them will be the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi suit. District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesh has scheduled the next hearing for July 7.
Subhash Nadan Chaturvedi, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, affirmed, “The district court, utilizing its special authority, has decreed the consolidation of the seven cases associated with the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case and their joint hearing.” He further added, “The court designated civil suit number 18, Rakhi Singh and others vs. State of UP and others (Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case), as the lead case.”
Consolidating Gyanvapi Cases: Varanasi District Court Unites Dispute for Joint Hearing with Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi Suit in Lead Role
In his order, Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesh emphasized that it would serve the interests of justice to hear all these cases together. Rajesh Mishra, the special advocate for the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi matter, confirmed the judge’s decision and stated, “If these cases were to remain pending in different courts, there is a possibility of conflicting judgments. However, by consolidating them into a single court, we eliminate the risk of contradictory orders.”
The Muslim side expressed their intent to consult with their advocates before deciding on the future course of action. “We will review the order and hold discussions with our fellow advocates to determine the appropriate steps,” stated Raees Ahmad Ansari, the advocate for the Gyanvapi mosque management committee.
Meanwhile, an anonymous lawyer from the Gyanvapi panel indicated that they are likely to challenge the court’s decision in a higher court.
Last year, on December 5, four Hindu plaintiffs filed the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case (civil suit number 18/2022) with the district court. Lakshmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas, and Rekha Pathak, the plaintiffs, requested the court to consolidate all seven cases due to their similar nature. However, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee opposed this plea.
The women plaintiffs sought permission to perform regular worship of deities, including Shringar Gauri, situated on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi complex.
On April 17, the Varanasi district court ordered the transfer of all seven cases, six of which were pending before the civil judge (senior division) and one before the civil judge (senior division) fast-track court, to the district court.
After the cases were transferred last month, they were assigned new numbers in the district court. Civil suit number 712/2022 received number 1, case 839/2022 received number 2, civil suit number 840 was designated number 3, civil suit number 350 became number 4, civil suit number 245 received number 5, civil suit number 358 was assigned number 6, while civil case number 925/2022 was given number 7. Notably, civil suit number 712/2022, also known as the new Number 1, was filed on behalf of Bhagwan Adi Vishweshwar Virajman, the deity, represented by next friend Kiran Singh and others.
Varanasi District Court Consolidates Seven Gyanvapi Cases, Grants Joint Hearing with Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi Suit as the Lead Varanasi, May 23: In a significant development, the Varanasi district court has ordered the consolidation of seven cases related to the Gyanvapi complex dispute. These cases will now be heard jointly, with the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi suit taking the lead. District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesh has scheduled the next hearing for July 7.
The decision to consolidate the cases comes as a means to ensure a comprehensive and efficient resolution of the long-standing dispute. By bringing together all the cases that share a common nature, the court aims to avoid any conflicting judgments and streamline the legal proceedings.
Uniting Gyanvapi Cases: Varanasi District Court Consolidates Dispute for Joint Hearing with Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi Suit as Lead
Subhash Nadan Chaturvedi, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision. He stated, “The district court has exercised its special authority to consolidate the seven cases related to the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi matter. Civil suit number 18, Rakhi Singh and others vs. State of UP and others, commonly known as the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case, has been designated as the leading case.”
The order issued by Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesh highlights the importance of consolidating the cases for the sake of justice. Rajesh Mishra, the special advocate for the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi matter, explained, “When cases of a similar nature are heard separately in different courts, the possibility of contradictory orders arises. By consolidating these cases in a single court, we eliminate the risk of inconsistent judgments.”
While the Hindu side welcomes the consolidation of the cases, the Muslim side has indicated that they will consult with their advocates to determine their next course of action. Raees Ahmad Ansari, the advocate for the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, stated, “We will carefully review the court’s order and discuss it with our fellow advocates before deciding on our future strategy.”
It is worth noting that the decision to consolidate the cases comes after four Hindu plaintiffs filed the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case (civil suit number 18/2022) on December 5, seeking permission for regular worship of the deities, including Shringar Gauri, located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi complex. The plaintiffs contended that due to the similarity of these cases, they should be heard collectively.
The Varanasi district court, in its order dated April 17, had directed the transfer of all seven related cases to the district court. Previously, these cases were pending before different courts, including the civil judge (senior division) and civil judge (senior division) fast-track court.
Upon the transfer of the cases, they were assigned new numbers in the district court. Civil suit number 712/2022, filed on behalf of Bhagwan Adi Vishweshwar Virajman, the deity, through next friend Kiran Singh and others, was given the number 1. The remaining cases received numbers 2 to 7.
The decision to consolidate and jointly hear these cases marks a significant step forward in the legal proceedings surrounding the Gyanvapi complex dispute. By streamlining the process and ensuring that all relevant aspects are considered together, the court aims to arrive at a just and fair resolution.
Varanasi District Court Consolidates Gyanvapi Cases for Joint Hearing, Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi Suit Takes Lead Role
Varanasi, May 23: In a positive development, the Varanasi district court has taken a significant step towards the resolution of the Gyanvapi complex dispute by ordering the consolidation of seven related cases. These cases will now be heard together, with the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi suit designated as the leading case. The decision aims to streamline the legal proceedings and ensure a fair and efficient resolution to the long-standing dispute. The next hearing is scheduled for July 7, as stated by District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesh.
