A trial court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, which had ordered the survey of a Mughal-era mosque, on Friday directed the team appointed to undertake the exercise to submit its report on the findings within 10 days, PTI reported.
Civil judge Aditya Singh also listed January 8 as the next date of hearing, said Advocate Commissioner Ramesh Raghav, who had been appointed to carry out the survey.
On November 19, the court had ordered the survey to investigate claims that a Hindu temple had existed at the site before the mosque was built in 1526. It came in response to an application by a Hindu priest named Rishi Raj Giri.
Five persons were killed in violence during protests on Sunday against the survey of the mosque.
“The court was informed that the survey report had not been completed and additional time was needed,” PTI quoted Raghav as saying. “The court granted the request and set the hearing date for January 8.”
On Friday, the Supreme Court asked the Sambhal court to defer hearing the matter until the petition filed by the Shahi Jama Masjid’s management committee against the survey of the site was listed in the Allahabad High Court.
A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also directed that the report filed by the advocate commissioner should be kept in a sealed cover that should not be opened while the matter was being heard.
The bench was hearing a special leave petition filed by the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee challenging the November 19 order passed by the Sambhal court on the survey.
Entry of outsiders restricted till December 10
Meanwhile, the Sambhal administration on Saturday extended the ban on the entry of outsiders into the district until December 10, PTI reported.
“No outsider, any social organisation or any public representative can enter into the borders of the district without seeking the permission of the competent authority till December 10,” Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said in a statement.
After violence broke on November 24, the administration in the district had prohibited outsiders, social organisations and public representatives from entering without prior approval.
Also read: ‘Ayodhya happened, now Sambhal’s turn’: How a court order sparked a deadly dispute over a mosque
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