The SC on Monday declined to halt Hindu prayers in the Gyanvapi mosque's southern cellar, maintaining status quo on Muslim namaz offerings. The court asked for responses from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple trustees and the priest by April 30, following the mosque committee's plea against the Allahabad HC's ruling.

The plea is filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, responsible for looking out the affairs of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, challenging the HC's February 26 decision.

Earlier, on January 31, the district court had granted permission for a Hindu priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust to conduct prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the mosque.

In a significant development, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Gyanvapi Mosque committee, thereby upholding the Varanasi Court's order permitting 'Puja' in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of the mosque premises. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle surrounding religious rituals within the Gyanvapi Mosque complex.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, overseeing the mosque near Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath temple, filed the petition last Friday opposing a Varanasi court's decision allowing prayers in the southern cellar.

The petitioner, Rakhi Singh, a founding member of Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, emphasised the necessity of uncovering "secret cellars" and to reveal the truth behind them.

The namaz proceeded peacefully, witnessing an attendance surge, with some redirected to alternative mosques due to the large turnout.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC), challenging the district court's ruling, is directed to incorporate a challenge to the January 17 order, a precursor to the January 31 order.

The mosque committee moved the high court within hours of the Supreme Court refusing to hear its plea against the Varanasi district court's order and asking it to approach the Allahabad high court.

Earlier on Wednesday, the district court ruled that a priest can perform prayers before the idols in a cellar of the Gyanvapi Masjid, a significant development in the legal battle over the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The ASI on July 21 the previous year conducted a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises, as mandated by a district court order issued. The objective was to ascertain whether the mosque was built over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.

The court's order is expected later in the day, after which parties involved must apply to the court for access to the survey report. Once the applications are submitted, the report will be photocopied and distributed to the concerned parties.