The court also appointed Vishal Singh as Special Advocates Commissioner and Ajay Pratap Singh as Assistant Advocates Commissioner.
The court directed the district administration to ensure that the survey is not delayed by citing reasons. The court has asked to present the survey report before it on May 17.
According to the directions of the court issued on 26 April, the Advocate Commissioner started the survey and videography work in the Gyanvapi campus on 6 May in the presence of both the parties amid protests. But on May 7, the survey was stalled due to AIM’s protest.
AIM had also filed a petition in the court on May 7 requesting to replace Advocate Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, alleging that the plaintiff was acting under pressure.
The plaintiff’s counsel also filed a petition on 8 May praying for the court’s direction for videography of the mosque complex including the basement. It was also requested to direct the local administration and police to ensure videography.
The hearing was held in the court till Wednesday and the court, while issuing its order on the petition of AIM on Thursday afternoon, said that the Advocate Commissioner will not be changed, but the help of two more advocates will be taken to complete the survey. The court has also made it clear that the survey process will not be hampered in case of absence of any advocate.
The plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri Puja case are: Rakhi Singh of Delhi, Lakshmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak, all natives of Varanasi, who filed a petition on April 18, 2021, allowing daily worship and rituals in Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Nandi was sought. To prevent the opponents from causing any damage to the idols. Respondents to the case include the Uttar Pradesh government, Anjuman Intejamiya Masjid and others.