Supreme Court halts Gyanvapi Mosque survey

New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered a halt to the extensive survey of the Gyanvapi mosque by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) until 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The court stated that the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee should be given "some breathing time" to appeal the Varanasi court's direction allowing the survey. Chief Justice Of India D. Y. Chandrachud and Justices J. B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra permitted the mosque management committee to challenge the Varanasi District Court's order by moving the Allahabad High Court. The apex court made this decision after noting that the district court's order was issued on July 21 at 4.30 p.m. An ASI team had arrived at the mosque to conduct the survey on Monday before the Supreme Court's intervention.