Under Kashi Vishwanath Act even devotees can file suit, argues Hindu side counsel in Shringar Gauri worship case

Under the Kashi Vishwanath Act, even devotees can file a suit for their right to worship, the counsel for a group of women seeking regular worship of Shringar Gauri and other deities in Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque compound contended before the high court here on Wednesday. The counsel said there is no bar on devotees for filing suit if the Kashi Vishwanath Board, which manages the temple, does not exercise its rights and file any suit in this regard.

The Uttar Pradesh Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 was enacted to provide for the proper and better administration of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi and its endowment.

The Allahabad High Court, meanwhile, posted for December 15 the hearing on a civil revision petition of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC) that has challenged a Varanasi court order turning down its objections to the maintainability of the suit filed by five Hindu women in August last year.

These women have sought permission to regularly worship Shringar Gauri and other deities in Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque compound.

After a brief hearing on Wednesday, Justice JJ Munir posted the matter on December 15 for further hearing.

Earlier, the petitioner AIMC, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, had contended that the suit before the lower court is barred under the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which provides that no suit can be filed seeking conversion of any religious place as existed on August 15, 1947.

The district judge Varanasi had on September 12 this year dismissed the plea of AIMC filed challenging the maintainability of the suit filed by the five Hindu plaintiffs.

Challenging the September 12 order of the district court, the present revision petition was filed by AIMC before the High Court.