Tag: Varanasi

  • Justice Chandrachud takes key judicial, administrative decisions in his first month as CJI

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: In his first month in office, Justice DY Chandrachud has taken several key judicial and administrative decisions having a far-reaching impact such as deciding to examine the right to marriage of gay couples and ordering protection of an area in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi complex where a ‘shivling’ was claimed to have been found.

    Justice Chandrachud, who has been credited with taking steps for digitisation of the judiciary, gave a green signal for operationalising an online RTI portal and making available an updated android version 2.0 of SC mobile application.

    The Chief Justice of India has also attempted to streamline the listing of cases by giving primacy to bail petitions and matrimonial transfer cases and decided that every apex court bench will hear 10 such pleas each before starting regular proceedings.

    Besides, Justice Chandrachud has also decided to set up four special benches to hear criminal appeals, direct and indirect tax and land acquisition matters and motor accident claim cases respectively.

    Justice Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th CJI by President Droupadi Murmu on November 9.

    Born on November 11, 1959, Justice Chandrachud studied in St Stephen’s College and the Campus Law Centre before going to Harvard. He was elevated to the top court on May 13, 2016.

    Justice Chandrachud has been part of several Constitution benches and landmark verdicts like on the Ayodhya issue that paved the way for the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site in Uttar Pradesh and Right to Privacy.

    He will have a tenure of two years as the CJI and during this period, as many as 19 posts of judges in the Supreme Court will have to be filled.

    Presently, there are seven vacancies in the top court against the sanctioned strength of 34 judges including the CJI.

    The last 30 days have been quite eventful as the CJI batted in favour of the collegium system of appointment of judges and also called for respect of the district judiciary while asking judges of the higher judiciary to get rid of the “colonial mindset”.

    He also expressed his disapproval of the notion that only educated people are better decision-makers.

    Over four years after a bench of which he was a part decriminalised consensual gay sex between adults, a CJI-led bench sought response from the central government to separate pleas by two gay couples seeking enforcement of their right to marry and a direction to authorities to register their marriage under the Special Marriage Act.

    In a separate matter, a bench led by the CJI sought responses from the Centre, states and Union territories (UTs) on a PIL seeking issuance of directions for providing free sanitary pads to girls studying in classes 6 to 12 in government schools across the country.

    On November 25, the CJI-led bench dismissed the NIA’s plea challenging the bail granted by the Bombay High Court to scholar-activist Anand Teltumbde in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

    In a recent speech while inaugurating a new building block for the Delhi High Court, he said, “India also survives much beyond” the national capital and there was a need to focus on district judiciary and proper infrastructure for it as the country “goes forward”.

    In the coming days, the apex court under the leadership of the CJI will organise its first ‘hackathon’ event to identify innovative ideas and explore practical propositions for refining and bringing in efficiency in the existing process from ‘filing to listing’ of judicial matters.

    Speaking on the occasion of the Constitution Day celebrations, he had said the practice of democratic ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity must be enabled by legislature and the executive besides the courts sustaining these values by “foregrounding” them in judicial decisions.

    He stressed on simplifying the litigation process to make it “citizen-centric” and said the judiciary has been adopting technology to improve the working of courts and it is of “supreme importance” that courts are remodelled to reach out to citizens instead of them reaching out to courts in their quest for justice.

    Acknowledging the issues of using open platforms like YouTube for live-streaming of court proceedings, he said the top court would be taking steps to have its own judicial infrastructure to start live streaming of proceedings whose access would be given to “bona fide” persons like litigants, asserting it has to ensure that the “sanctity of the institution is maintained”.

    No institution in a constitutional democracy, including the collegium, is perfect and the solution is to work out within the existing system, he said on the collegium system of judges appointing judges.

    Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has been very critical of the collegium system in his recent public statements.

    Speaking at the Constitution Day celebrations organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) here, the CJI had said judges are faithful soldiers who implement the Constitution.

    In another speech, he asked Supreme Court and High Court judges to shun the “colonial mindset” and the “culture of subordination” while dealing with district court judges, saying the country needs to move towards a “more modern and equal judiciary”.

    The Supreme Court Collegium headed by the CJI also recommended transfer of seven high court judges to different high courts in the country.

    The recommendations relating to transfer of few judges also led to protests in the Telangana and Gujarat High Courts by lawyers’ bodies.

    Later, the list of high court judges, who were recommended for transfer, did not include Justice Nikhil S Kariel of the Gujarat High Court.

    The CJI also sought assistance of senior lawyer S K Rungta, a visually impaired person, to help the technical team make the software used by the Supreme Court accessible to those who are visually impaired.

    He also asked the Centre to take steps to ensure e-filing of papers in all revenue matters in the top court, high courts and tribunals like the Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) and the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal within three months.

    He was also part of an important verdict expanding the scope of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and the corresponding rules to include unmarried women for abortion between 20 and 24 weeks of pregnancy.

    NEW DELHI: In his first month in office, Justice DY Chandrachud has taken several key judicial and administrative decisions having a far-reaching impact such as deciding to examine the right to marriage of gay couples and ordering protection of an area in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi complex where a ‘shivling’ was claimed to have been found.

    Justice Chandrachud, who has been credited with taking steps for digitisation of the judiciary, gave a green signal for operationalising an online RTI portal and making available an updated android version 2.0 of SC mobile application.

    The Chief Justice of India has also attempted to streamline the listing of cases by giving primacy to bail petitions and matrimonial transfer cases and decided that every apex court bench will hear 10 such pleas each before starting regular proceedings.

    Besides, Justice Chandrachud has also decided to set up four special benches to hear criminal appeals, direct and indirect tax and land acquisition matters and motor accident claim cases respectively.

    Justice Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th CJI by President Droupadi Murmu on November 9.

    Born on November 11, 1959, Justice Chandrachud studied in St Stephen’s College and the Campus Law Centre before going to Harvard. He was elevated to the top court on May 13, 2016.

    Justice Chandrachud has been part of several Constitution benches and landmark verdicts like on the Ayodhya issue that paved the way for the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site in Uttar Pradesh and Right to Privacy.

    He will have a tenure of two years as the CJI and during this period, as many as 19 posts of judges in the Supreme Court will have to be filled.

    Presently, there are seven vacancies in the top court against the sanctioned strength of 34 judges including the CJI.

    The last 30 days have been quite eventful as the CJI batted in favour of the collegium system of appointment of judges and also called for respect of the district judiciary while asking judges of the higher judiciary to get rid of the “colonial mindset”.

    He also expressed his disapproval of the notion that only educated people are better decision-makers.

    Over four years after a bench of which he was a part decriminalised consensual gay sex between adults, a CJI-led bench sought response from the central government to separate pleas by two gay couples seeking enforcement of their right to marry and a direction to authorities to register their marriage under the Special Marriage Act.

    In a separate matter, a bench led by the CJI sought responses from the Centre, states and Union territories (UTs) on a PIL seeking issuance of directions for providing free sanitary pads to girls studying in classes 6 to 12 in government schools across the country.

    On November 25, the CJI-led bench dismissed the NIA’s plea challenging the bail granted by the Bombay High Court to scholar-activist Anand Teltumbde in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

    In a recent speech while inaugurating a new building block for the Delhi High Court, he said, “India also survives much beyond” the national capital and there was a need to focus on district judiciary and proper infrastructure for it as the country “goes forward”.

    In the coming days, the apex court under the leadership of the CJI will organise its first ‘hackathon’ event to identify innovative ideas and explore practical propositions for refining and bringing in efficiency in the existing process from ‘filing to listing’ of judicial matters.

    Speaking on the occasion of the Constitution Day celebrations, he had said the practice of democratic ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity must be enabled by legislature and the executive besides the courts sustaining these values by “foregrounding” them in judicial decisions.

    He stressed on simplifying the litigation process to make it “citizen-centric” and said the judiciary has been adopting technology to improve the working of courts and it is of “supreme importance” that courts are remodelled to reach out to citizens instead of them reaching out to courts in their quest for justice.

    Acknowledging the issues of using open platforms like YouTube for live-streaming of court proceedings, he said the top court would be taking steps to have its own judicial infrastructure to start live streaming of proceedings whose access would be given to “bona fide” persons like litigants, asserting it has to ensure that the “sanctity of the institution is maintained”.

    No institution in a constitutional democracy, including the collegium, is perfect and the solution is to work out within the existing system, he said on the collegium system of judges appointing judges.

    Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has been very critical of the collegium system in his recent public statements.

    Speaking at the Constitution Day celebrations organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) here, the CJI had said judges are faithful soldiers who implement the Constitution.

    In another speech, he asked Supreme Court and High Court judges to shun the “colonial mindset” and the “culture of subordination” while dealing with district court judges, saying the country needs to move towards a “more modern and equal judiciary”.

    The Supreme Court Collegium headed by the CJI also recommended transfer of seven high court judges to different high courts in the country.

    The recommendations relating to transfer of few judges also led to protests in the Telangana and Gujarat High Courts by lawyers’ bodies.

    Later, the list of high court judges, who were recommended for transfer, did not include Justice Nikhil S Kariel of the Gujarat High Court.

    The CJI also sought assistance of senior lawyer S K Rungta, a visually impaired person, to help the technical team make the software used by the Supreme Court accessible to those who are visually impaired.

    He also asked the Centre to take steps to ensure e-filing of papers in all revenue matters in the top court, high courts and tribunals like the Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) and the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal within three months.

    He was also part of an important verdict expanding the scope of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and the corresponding rules to include unmarried women for abortion between 20 and 24 weeks of pregnancy.

  • Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan meets family of Tamil poet Bharathiyar in Varanasi

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday met KV Krishnan, the 96-year-old nephew of Tamil poet Subramania Bharathiyar, and his family in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

    One of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time, Mahakavi Bharathiyar’s home is on the banks of Hanuman Ghat in Kashi is a pilgrimage.

    Pradhan said that Subramania Bharathiyar’s ideals on social justice and women empowerment are more relevant now than ever.

    “Kashi had a profound influence on shaping Bharathiyar’s personality and Kashi Tamil Sangamam celebrates the philosophical unity and commonality between our two great cultures,” he further said.

    The Union Minister also said that the poet will forever be an inspiration for the next generations.

    Earlier in the day, Pradhan Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took stock of the preparations of ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a month-long event on Saturday.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized in Varanasi from November 17 to December 16 with the objective to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s most important and ancient seats of learning.

    “Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has been actively monitoring the preparations of the program in Varanasi to take stock of the arrangements ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Kashi,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

    Previously, he also held meetings with the Minister of Railways, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government and other key stakeholders to ensure the successful organization of Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, Information & Broadcasting and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

    The programme aims to provide an opportunity for scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists and people from other walks of life from the two regions to come together, share their knowledge, culture and best practices and learn from each others’ experience.

    The endeavour is in sync with NEP 2020’s emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with modern systems of knowledge. IIT Madras and BHU are the two implementing agencies for the programme.

    More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu under 12 categories such as students, teachers, literature, culture, artisans, spiritual, heritage, business, entrepreneurs, professionals and others will be visiting Varanasi on eight-day tours.

    “They will participate in seminars, LEC-DEMS (Lecture Demonstrations), site visits etc in special programmes curated for each of the 12 categories to interact with local people of the same trade, profession and interest,” the ministry said.

    The delegates will also visit places of interest in and around Varanasi including Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

    Students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and other Higher Educational Institutions will be participating in the academic programmes. They will study the comparative practices pertaining to various sectors in the two regions and document the learnings.

    The first group of delegates consisting of 200 students started their tour from Chennai on November 17, their train was flagged off by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from the Chennai Railway station.

    Along with this, a month-long exhibition of handlooms, handicrafts, One District One Product (ODOP), books, documentaries, cuisine, art forms, history, tourist places etc of the two regions will be put up in Varanasi for the benefit of the local people.

    During the inaugural programme, Prime Minister will interact with the delegates coming from Tamil Nadu. The inauguration ceremony will witness various cultural performances such as vocal renditions by Ilaiyaraaja and book releases. 

    NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday met KV Krishnan, the 96-year-old nephew of Tamil poet Subramania Bharathiyar, and his family in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

    One of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time, Mahakavi Bharathiyar’s home is on the banks of Hanuman Ghat in Kashi is a pilgrimage.

    Pradhan said that Subramania Bharathiyar’s ideals on social justice and women empowerment are more relevant now than ever.

    “Kashi had a profound influence on shaping Bharathiyar’s personality and Kashi Tamil Sangamam celebrates the philosophical unity and commonality between our two great cultures,” he further said.

    The Union Minister also said that the poet will forever be an inspiration for the next generations.

    Earlier in the day, Pradhan Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took stock of the preparations of ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a month-long event on Saturday.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized in Varanasi from November 17 to December 16 with the objective to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s most important and ancient seats of learning.

    “Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has been actively monitoring the preparations of the program in Varanasi to take stock of the arrangements ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Kashi,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

    Previously, he also held meetings with the Minister of Railways, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government and other key stakeholders to ensure the successful organization of Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, Information & Broadcasting and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

    The programme aims to provide an opportunity for scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists and people from other walks of life from the two regions to come together, share their knowledge, culture and best practices and learn from each others’ experience.

    The endeavour is in sync with NEP 2020’s emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with modern systems of knowledge. IIT Madras and BHU are the two implementing agencies for the programme.

    More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu under 12 categories such as students, teachers, literature, culture, artisans, spiritual, heritage, business, entrepreneurs, professionals and others will be visiting Varanasi on eight-day tours.

    “They will participate in seminars, LEC-DEMS (Lecture Demonstrations), site visits etc in special programmes curated for each of the 12 categories to interact with local people of the same trade, profession and interest,” the ministry said.

    The delegates will also visit places of interest in and around Varanasi including Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

    Students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and other Higher Educational Institutions will be participating in the academic programmes. They will study the comparative practices pertaining to various sectors in the two regions and document the learnings.

    The first group of delegates consisting of 200 students started their tour from Chennai on November 17, their train was flagged off by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from the Chennai Railway station.

    Along with this, a month-long exhibition of handlooms, handicrafts, One District One Product (ODOP), books, documentaries, cuisine, art forms, history, tourist places etc of the two regions will be put up in Varanasi for the benefit of the local people.

    During the inaugural programme, Prime Minister will interact with the delegates coming from Tamil Nadu. The inauguration ceremony will witness various cultural performances such as vocal renditions by Ilaiyaraaja and book releases. 

  • Gyanvapi case: Court to hear plea seeking worship of ‘Shivling’ in mosque complex

    By ANI

    VARANASI: The Varanasi Fast Track Court on Thursday dismissed the Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee’s plea challenging the maintainability of a suit to hand over possession of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises to the Hindu side.

    The Court deferred the petition for the next hearing on December 2.

    The court was hearing the petition on the plea seeking worship rights of the ‘Shivling’ that the Hindu side claimed to be found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

    Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sanstha had also filed a separate petition in the fast track court of Varanasi after the alleged Shivling was found. The petition was filed by Kiran Singh, wife of Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sanstha President Jitendra Singh Vishen and others.

    The demands of the Hindu side include permission for the immediate beginning of prayer of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar, the handing over of the entire Gyanvapi complex to the Hindus, and banning the entry of Muslims inside the premises of the Gyanvapi complex.

    In this case, the court under Order 7/Rule 11, said that “this matter is not maintainable.”

    “Varanasi Court dismisses the plea filed by the Masjid committee challenging the maintainability of the suit in the Gyanvapi Mosque case. The next hearing is on December 1,” said Anupam Dwivedi, Advocate Hindu side.

    The Muslim side is allowed to offer prayers on the premises till the matter is in court.

    The Supreme Court on November 11 extended its earlier order to protect the area where the ‘Shivling’ was stated to be discovered at the Gyanvapi Mosque complex during the court survey.ALSO READ | Ensure safety of Gyanvapi ‘Shivling’: Supreme Court

    During the previous hearings in the Varanasi court, it had refused to allow a ‘scientific investigation’ of the purported ‘Shivling’.

    The Hindu side had demanded carbon dating of the structure they claimed to be a Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque’s wazukhana.

    However, the Muslim side said that the structure found was a ‘fountain’. The Hindu side had then submitted an application in the Varanasi District Court on September 22 that sought a carbon dating of the object they claimed to be ‘Shivling’.

    The Hindu side said that they would approach the Supreme Court against the Varanasi court’s verdict refusing to allow a ‘scientific investigation’ of the purported ‘Shivling’, claiming to be found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

    On September 29 hearing, the Hindu side demanded a scientific investigation of the ‘Shivling’ by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the carbon dating of ‘Argha’ and the area around it.

    Referring to the order of May 17 of the Supreme Court, the Varanasi Court had said that “If the alleged Shivling is damaged by taking samples, then it will be in violation of the order of the Supreme Court”.

    “If the Shivling is damaged, the religious sentiments of the general public can also get hurt”, the Varanasi Court had said.

    Carbon dating is a scientific process that ascertains the age of an archaeological object or archaeological finds.

    After hearing both sides’ arguments, the court reserved the order in the Gyanvapi Mosque-Shringar Gauri case.

    On May 20, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of the case related to worship at Gyanvapi mosque from the civil judge to the District Judge, Varanasi.READ| Gyanvapi row: The Future of the Past

    VARANASI: The Varanasi Fast Track Court on Thursday dismissed the Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee’s plea challenging the maintainability of a suit to hand over possession of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises to the Hindu side.

    The Court deferred the petition for the next hearing on December 2.

    The court was hearing the petition on the plea seeking worship rights of the ‘Shivling’ that the Hindu side claimed to be found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

    Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sanstha had also filed a separate petition in the fast track court of Varanasi after the alleged Shivling was found. The petition was filed by Kiran Singh, wife of Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sanstha President Jitendra Singh Vishen and others.

    The demands of the Hindu side include permission for the immediate beginning of prayer of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar, the handing over of the entire Gyanvapi complex to the Hindus, and banning the entry of Muslims inside the premises of the Gyanvapi complex.

    In this case, the court under Order 7/Rule 11, said that “this matter is not maintainable.”

    “Varanasi Court dismisses the plea filed by the Masjid committee challenging the maintainability of the suit in the Gyanvapi Mosque case. The next hearing is on December 1,” said Anupam Dwivedi, Advocate Hindu side.

    The Muslim side is allowed to offer prayers on the premises till the matter is in court.

    The Supreme Court on November 11 extended its earlier order to protect the area where the ‘Shivling’ was stated to be discovered at the Gyanvapi Mosque complex during the court survey.ALSO READ | Ensure safety of Gyanvapi ‘Shivling’: Supreme Court

    During the previous hearings in the Varanasi court, it had refused to allow a ‘scientific investigation’ of the purported ‘Shivling’.

    The Hindu side had demanded carbon dating of the structure they claimed to be a Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque’s wazukhana.

    However, the Muslim side said that the structure found was a ‘fountain’. The Hindu side had then submitted an application in the Varanasi District Court on September 22 that sought a carbon dating of the object they claimed to be ‘Shivling’.

    The Hindu side said that they would approach the Supreme Court against the Varanasi court’s verdict refusing to allow a ‘scientific investigation’ of the purported ‘Shivling’, claiming to be found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.

    On September 29 hearing, the Hindu side demanded a scientific investigation of the ‘Shivling’ by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the carbon dating of ‘Argha’ and the area around it.

    Referring to the order of May 17 of the Supreme Court, the Varanasi Court had said that “If the alleged Shivling is damaged by taking samples, then it will be in violation of the order of the Supreme Court”.

    “If the Shivling is damaged, the religious sentiments of the general public can also get hurt”, the Varanasi Court had said.

    Carbon dating is a scientific process that ascertains the age of an archaeological object or archaeological finds.

    After hearing both sides’ arguments, the court reserved the order in the Gyanvapi Mosque-Shringar Gauri case.

    On May 20, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of the case related to worship at Gyanvapi mosque from the civil judge to the District Judge, Varanasi.READ| Gyanvapi row: The Future of the Past

  • Gyanvapi case: Court postpones judgment on plea seeking ‘Shivling’ worship till Nov17

    By PTI

    VARANASI: A fast-track court on Monday postponed till November 17 its judgment on a plea seeking permission to allow the worship of a “Shivling” claimed to have been found inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex here.

    Civil Judge (senior division) Mahendra Pandey postponed the judgment till November 17, Assistant District Government Counsel Sulabh Prakash said.

    After hearing the arguments of both sides to the dispute, the court had, on October 27, reserved its order on the suit for November 8. As the judge was on leave on November 8, the matter was posted for Monday.

    On May 24, plaintiff Kiran Singh, general secretary of the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, filed the suit in the Varanasi district court, seeking a ban on the entry of Muslims into the Gyanvapi complex, handing over of the complex to the Sanatan Sangh and permission to offer prayers to the “Shivling.”

    On May 25, District Judge A K Vishvesh ordered the transfer of the suit to the fast-track court.

    The Varanasi district magistrate, the police commissioner, the Anjuman Intezamia Committee, which manages the affairs of the Gyanvapi mosque, and the Vishwanath Temple Trust were made respondents in the suit.

    On April 26, a lower court (civil judge-senior division) that was earlier hearing a plea moved by a group of women seeking permission for the daily worship of the idols of the Hindu deities on the mosque’s outer walls had ordered a videographic survey of the Gyanvapi complex.

    The Hindu side had claimed that a “Shivling” was found inside the mosque complex during the exercise.

    However, the Muslim side has maintained that the structure was part of the fountain mechanism at the “wazookhana” reservoir, where devotees carry out ritual ablutions before offering “namaz.”

    The Supreme Court transferred the case from the civil judge senior division to the district judge on May 20 and observed that looking at the “complexities” and “sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer with an experience of more than 25-30 years handles the case.

    The district judge is hearing another plea that has demanded a survey of the closed underground places on the Gyanvapi premises.READ | Gyanvapi row: The Future of the Past

    VARANASI: A fast-track court on Monday postponed till November 17 its judgment on a plea seeking permission to allow the worship of a “Shivling” claimed to have been found inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex here.

    Civil Judge (senior division) Mahendra Pandey postponed the judgment till November 17, Assistant District Government Counsel Sulabh Prakash said.

    After hearing the arguments of both sides to the dispute, the court had, on October 27, reserved its order on the suit for November 8. As the judge was on leave on November 8, the matter was posted for Monday.

    On May 24, plaintiff Kiran Singh, general secretary of the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, filed the suit in the Varanasi district court, seeking a ban on the entry of Muslims into the Gyanvapi complex, handing over of the complex to the Sanatan Sangh and permission to offer prayers to the “Shivling.”

    On May 25, District Judge A K Vishvesh ordered the transfer of the suit to the fast-track court.

    The Varanasi district magistrate, the police commissioner, the Anjuman Intezamia Committee, which manages the affairs of the Gyanvapi mosque, and the Vishwanath Temple Trust were made respondents in the suit.

    On April 26, a lower court (civil judge-senior division) that was earlier hearing a plea moved by a group of women seeking permission for the daily worship of the idols of the Hindu deities on the mosque’s outer walls had ordered a videographic survey of the Gyanvapi complex.

    The Hindu side had claimed that a “Shivling” was found inside the mosque complex during the exercise.

    However, the Muslim side has maintained that the structure was part of the fountain mechanism at the “wazookhana” reservoir, where devotees carry out ritual ablutions before offering “namaz.”

    The Supreme Court transferred the case from the civil judge senior division to the district judge on May 20 and observed that looking at the “complexities” and “sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer with an experience of more than 25-30 years handles the case.

    The district judge is hearing another plea that has demanded a survey of the closed underground places on the Gyanvapi premises.READ | Gyanvapi row: The Future of the Past

  • SC extends till further order protection of ‘Shivling’ area at Gyanvapi mosque complex

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday extended till further orders the protection of the area where a ‘Shivling’ was stated to be found at the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex premises in Varanasi.

    A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha allowed the Hindu parties to move an application before the Varanasi district judge for consolidation of all the lawsuits filed on the Gyanvapi row.

    It also directed the Hindu parties to file their replies within three weeks on the appeal filed by the management committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid challenging the Allahabad High Court order on the appointment of a survey commissioner.

    On May 17, the top court passed an interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where the ‘Shivling’ was said to be found in the survey.

    ALSO READ | Supreme Court to form bench today for Gyanvapi hearing

    On May 20, the top court transferred a civil suit filed by Hindu devotees on the Gyanvapi mosque from the civil judge (senior division) to the district judge of Varanasi, saying looking at the “complexities” and the “sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer with more than 25-30 years of experience handles the case.

    ALSO READ | HC admits plea against lower court’s refusal for carbon dating of ‘shivling’ found on Gyanvapi premises

    It had said its earlier interim order of May 17, directing protection of the area where the “Shivling” is said to be found and allowing Muslims to offer namaz on the mosque premises, shall remain in operation till the maintainability of the suit is decided by the district judge and thereafter, for eight weeks to allow the aggrieved parties to approach a higher court.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday extended till further orders the protection of the area where a ‘Shivling’ was stated to be found at the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex premises in Varanasi.

    A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha allowed the Hindu parties to move an application before the Varanasi district judge for consolidation of all the lawsuits filed on the Gyanvapi row.

    It also directed the Hindu parties to file their replies within three weeks on the appeal filed by the management committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid challenging the Allahabad High Court order on the appointment of a survey commissioner.

    On May 17, the top court passed an interim order directing the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of the area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where the ‘Shivling’ was said to be found in the survey.

    ALSO READ | Supreme Court to form bench today for Gyanvapi hearing

    On May 20, the top court transferred a civil suit filed by Hindu devotees on the Gyanvapi mosque from the civil judge (senior division) to the district judge of Varanasi, saying looking at the “complexities” and the “sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer with more than 25-30 years of experience handles the case.

    ALSO READ | HC admits plea against lower court’s refusal for carbon dating of ‘shivling’ found on Gyanvapi premises

    It had said its earlier interim order of May 17, directing protection of the area where the “Shivling” is said to be found and allowing Muslims to offer namaz on the mosque premises, shall remain in operation till the maintainability of the suit is decided by the district judge and thereafter, for eight weeks to allow the aggrieved parties to approach a higher court.

  • Varanasi declared as first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital

    By PTI

    SAMARKAND: The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday endorsed the holy city of Varanasi as the first ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23.

    Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said this at a media briefing. The Indian delegation at the SCO summit in this historic Uzbek city of Samarkand was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Uzbekistan handed over the rotating presidency of the grouping to India for the year 2022-23.

    “Prime Minister Modi thanked all the member states for endorsing Varanasi as the first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital during the upcoming year 2022-23,” Kwatra said.

    “This is a befitting recognition of the historic city and opens the door for greater cultural and people-to-people ties between India and the region,” he said.

    The foreign secretary said several events would be organised by the Uttar Pradesh government in collaboration with the Centre to celebrate this recognition of Varanasi.

    Kwatra said the SCO also decided to set up a special working group on start-ups and innovation at India’s initiative. India would be its permanent chair, he said. The summit also decided to give permanent membership of SCO to Belarus and Iran.

    The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

    Over the years, it has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations. India and Pakistan became their permanent members in 2017.

    SAMARKAND: The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday endorsed the holy city of Varanasi as the first ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23.

    Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said this at a media briefing. The Indian delegation at the SCO summit in this historic Uzbek city of Samarkand was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Uzbekistan handed over the rotating presidency of the grouping to India for the year 2022-23.

    “Prime Minister Modi thanked all the member states for endorsing Varanasi as the first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital during the upcoming year 2022-23,” Kwatra said.

    “This is a befitting recognition of the historic city and opens the door for greater cultural and people-to-people ties between India and the region,” he said.

    The foreign secretary said several events would be organised by the Uttar Pradesh government in collaboration with the Centre to celebrate this recognition of Varanasi.

    Kwatra said the SCO also decided to set up a special working group on start-ups and innovation at India’s initiative. India would be its permanent chair, he said. The summit also decided to give permanent membership of SCO to Belarus and Iran.

    The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

    Over the years, it has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations. India and Pakistan became their permanent members in 2017.

  • Rising Ganga set to cross warning level by Sunday evening

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The Varanasi district administration has put restrictions on the movement of people including tourists and local residents along with the boats on the ghats of river Ganga as the water level continued to rise at the rate of 3 cm per hour in Varanasi on Saturday.

    According to the authorities, if the current trend of swelling continued, the Ganga would touch the warning mark of 70.262 m by Sunday evening.

    According to the flood bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission, the river was flowing at the mark of 69.48 m at 2 pm on Saturday, just 0.782 m below the warning level and 1.782 m below the danger mark.

    District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma along with other officials took a round of the flood-affected areas by boat from Assi Ghat to newly-constructed Namo Ghat on Saturday to take stock of the situation. The steps of almost all the 84 ghats are submerged in Ganga waters breaking the inter-connectivity of the ghats.

    Consequently, the venue of Ganga Arti and other rituals including performance of last rites have been shifted to upper platforms. On Harishchandra Ghat, the cremation of bodies is reportedly taking place on rooftops and streets.

    ALSO READ | Death of boy who ‘failed’ to pay Rs 250 school fee: Teacher accused of beating him arrested

    The DM, on Saturday, instructed the officials to make all the night shelters and flood camps operational with immediate effect in view of the rising trend of the river.

    Varanasi municipal corporation, and the PWD and irrigation and food supply departments have been put on high alert. The DM has issued directives to the officials to keep a tight vigil on the flood situation, depute workforce  and make necessary arrangements to ensure convenience of the people.

    The DM said that the flood outpost will function round the clock. The Jal Police personnel have been asked to keep a vigil on the ghats to avert any untoward incident.

    Meanwhile, with the rising level of Ganga, the back flow of Varuna has also started in the district with water having entered houses in the low-lying area of Sairaiyya locality.

    The rising trend of the Ganga continued in Ballia and Ghazipur as well. The Ganga has already crossed the danger mark in Ballia and has been flowing 0.485 m above the mark. In Ghazipur, the river was flowing just 0.935 m below the danger mark.

    LUCKNOW: The Varanasi district administration has put restrictions on the movement of people including tourists and local residents along with the boats on the ghats of river Ganga as the water level continued to rise at the rate of 3 cm per hour in Varanasi on Saturday.

    According to the authorities, if the current trend of swelling continued, the Ganga would touch the warning mark of 70.262 m by Sunday evening.

    According to the flood bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission, the river was flowing at the mark of 69.48 m at 2 pm on Saturday, just 0.782 m below the warning level and 1.782 m below the danger mark.

    District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma along with other officials took a round of the flood-affected areas by boat from Assi Ghat to newly-constructed Namo Ghat on Saturday to take stock of the situation. The steps of almost all the 84 ghats are submerged in Ganga waters breaking the inter-connectivity of the ghats.

    Consequently, the venue of Ganga Arti and other rituals including performance of last rites have been shifted to upper platforms. On Harishchandra Ghat, the cremation of bodies is reportedly taking place on rooftops and streets.

    ALSO READ | Death of boy who ‘failed’ to pay Rs 250 school fee: Teacher accused of beating him arrested

    The DM, on Saturday, instructed the officials to make all the night shelters and flood camps operational with immediate effect in view of the rising trend of the river.

    Varanasi municipal corporation, and the PWD and irrigation and food supply departments have been put on high alert. The DM has issued directives to the officials to keep a tight vigil on the flood situation, depute workforce  and make necessary arrangements to ensure convenience of the people.

    The DM said that the flood outpost will function round the clock. The Jal Police personnel have been asked to keep a vigil on the ghats to avert any untoward incident.

    Meanwhile, with the rising level of Ganga, the back flow of Varuna has also started in the district with water having entered houses in the low-lying area of Sairaiyya locality.

    The rising trend of the Ganga continued in Ballia and Ghazipur as well. The Ganga has already crossed the danger mark in Ballia and has been flowing 0.485 m above the mark. In Ghazipur, the river was flowing just 0.935 m below the danger mark.

  • Johnny Depp celebrates Amber Heard trial win, spends USD 62,000 at Indian restaurant in Birmingham

    By Online Desk

    Actor Johnny Depp, who made the news after winning his highly-publicized defamation suit against Amber Heard, spend around USD 62,000 on a celebratory dinner with his friends, reported New York Post.

    Depp was recently awarded $15 million by the court in Virginia in the defamation case against Amber Heard.

    ALSO READ | Amber Heard ‘absolutely not’ able to pay Depp USD 10.4 million in damages: Lawyer

    Depp enjoyed ‘authentic Indian cuisine’ at Varanasi, known as ‘Birmingham’s largest Indian restaurant’.

    Birmingham’s largest and most luxurious fine dining restaurant-https://t.co/KAT8eQLxOc pic.twitter.com/nht3TFbjfW
    — Varanasi (@VaranasiBham) July 25, 2017
    “We had a call out of the blue on Sunday afternoon saying that Johnny Depp wanted to come to eat with a group of people,” Mohammed Hussain, operations director of Varanasi, told the Post.

    “I was shocked, and at first, I thought it might have been a joke. But then his security team arrived and checked out the restaurant, and we let them have the whole place because we were concerned that he might be bothered by other diners,” Mr Hussain added.

    The star was declared a “down-to-earth bloke” by the restaurant staff, according to the Post report. 

    Depp was hanging out with musician friend and guitarist Jeff Beck, 77, and 20 other people.

  • Johnny Depp celebrates Amber Heard trial win, spends Rs 48 lakhs at Indian restaurant in Birmingham

    By Online Desk

    Actor Johnny Depp, who made the news after winning his highly-publicized defamation suit against Amber Heard, spent around USD 62,000 (Rs 48 lakhs) on a celebratory dinner with his friends, reported New York Post.

    Depp was recently awarded $15 million by the court in Virginia in the defamation case against Amber Heard.

    ALSO READ | Amber Heard ‘absolutely not’ able to pay Depp USD 10.4 million in damages: Lawyer

    Depp enjoyed ‘authentic Indian cuisine’ at Varanasi, known as ‘Birmingham’s largest Indian restaurant’.

    Birmingham’s largest and most luxurious fine dining restaurant-https://t.co/KAT8eQLxOc pic.twitter.com/nht3TFbjfW
    — Varanasi (@VaranasiBham) July 25, 2017
    “We had a call out of the blue on Sunday afternoon saying that Johnny Depp wanted to come to eat with a group of people,” Mohammed Hussain, operations director of Varanasi, told the Post.

    “I was shocked, and at first, I thought it might have been a joke. But then his security team arrived and checked out the restaurant, and we let them have the whole place because we were concerned that he might be bothered by other diners,” Mr Hussain added.

    The star was declared a “down-to-earth bloke” by the restaurant staff, according to the Post report. 

    Depp was hanging out with musician friend and guitarist Jeff Beck, 77, and 20 other people.

  • Terrorist Waliullah Khan held guilty in two cases of 2008 serial bomb blasts of Varanasi

    By PTI

    GHAZIABAD: Sixteen years after serial bomb blasts rocked the holy city of Varanasi, terrorist Waliullah was held guilty by a Ghaziabad court in two cases on Saturday.

    The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on June 6.

    The blasts at the Sankat Mochan temple and the cantonment railway station on March 7, 2006 had claimed at least 20 lives and left over 100 injured.

    District Sessions Judge Jitendra Kumar Sinha convicted Waliullah in two cases which were lodged under IPC sections of murder, attempt to murder and mutilation and under the Explosives Act, district government counsel Rajesh Sharma told PTI.

    The accused has acquitted in one case due to inadequate evidence, he said.

    “The punishment will be pronounced on June 6 at 2 pm,” Sharma said.

    On 7th March 2006, the first blast took place at 6.15 pm inside the Sankat Mochak temple in the Lanka police station.

    After 15 minutes, a bomb exploded outside the first-class retiring room at Varanasi cantonment railway station.

    On the same day, a cooker bomb was also found near the railings of a railway crossing in DashmaVedh police station.

    Lawyers in Varanasi had refused to plead the case.

    The Allahabad High Court had transferred the case to the Ghaziabad district court.

    In all three cases, 121 witnesses were produced before the court.

    In April 2006, the special task force, which was investigating the blasts, had claimed that he was linked to a terrorist outfit in Bangladesh Harkat-ul-jehad Al Islami and was the mastermind behind the blasts.