High Court Moves Gyanvapi Wuzukhana Survey Plea Hearing to October 6

VARANASI: The Allahabad High Court has fixed October 6 for the next hearing on a revision petition seeking an Archaeological Survey of India examination of the sealed wuzukhana area in the Gyanvapi complex. The schedule was set because a related matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the order after counsel Saurabh Tiwari informed the court that the Supreme Court matter is listed for September 15. The High Court chose a date after that proceeding, allowing the higher court's directions or status to be considered before the revision is taken up again.

The petition was filed by Rakhi Singh, a plaintiff in the Shringar Gauri case. It challenges a Varanasi district judge's refusal to order an ASI survey of the wuzukhana portion. The petition seeks a survey excluding the disputed structure that Hindu parties describe as a Shivling; the Muslim side has disputed that characterisation.

Tuesday's development is procedural. The High Court did not allow or reject a survey, and it did not rule on the nature of the disputed object. It simply moved the hearing to a date after the Supreme Court is expected to consider the connected issue.

That distinction matters in a case where every listing can generate political commentary. A hearing date is not a finding, and a lawyer's submission is not the same as a judicial conclusion. The operative order and the next court record remain the reliable sources for what has actually changed.

The wuzukhana area has remained legally sensitive because of earlier orders protecting the sealed portion and regulating access to the complex. Any archaeological request must therefore be considered alongside preservation, worship arrangements and directions already issued by higher courts.

Responsible reporting also requires symmetrical language. Claims by Hindu and Muslim parties should be attributed, and headlines should not present a disputed description as settled fact. Court proceedings can be followed closely without turning legal argument into a verdict.

The next sequence is now clear: the Supreme Court date on September 15, followed by the High Court hearing on October 6 unless either court changes the schedule. Until then, the district judge's refusal of the requested survey remains the order under challenge.

For residents, the practical impact is that existing arrangements continue while the courts consider the petitions. Any alteration in access, worship or protection would require a specific order. Social-media posts claiming an immediate survey or final decision should be checked against the written order before being shared.