Varanasi court asks Gyanvapi committee to submit by Nov 6 objection to plea on handing over basement keys to DM

Prior to it, the basement was used for worship by Somnath Vyas, a priest, Yadav said in his plea.Yadav has pleaded that the key be handed over to the district magistrate, fearing that the contents of the basement could be tampered with.

Varanasi, Nov 2 (PTI) A court here on Thursday asked the Gyanvapi management committee to submit its objection by November 6 to a plea seeking handing over of keys to a basement of the mosque to the Varanasi district magistrate.

''The court of District Judge A K Vishvesh while hearing the matter allowed the mosque side to submit its objection by November 6. The court fixed the next hearing in the case on November 8,'' District Government Counsel Rajesh Mishra said.

According to petitioner Madan Mohan Yadav, authorities had barricaded and locked the basement known as ''Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana'' in 1993. Prior to it, the basement was used for worship by Somnath Vyas, a priest, Yadav said in his plea.

Yadav has pleaded that the key be handed over to the district magistrate, fearing that the contents of the basement could be tampered with.