Varanasi, May 26: The Varanasi district court on Thursday adjourned the hearing in the maintainability petition, filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee that manages the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, till May 30.

The Muslim petitioners had been seeking dismissal of the Hindu petitioners’ suit for permission to worship inside the Gyanvapi complex where the alleged  Shivling was found.

As the hearing began in the court of District Judge Dr A.K. Vishvesha around 2 pm, the Muslim lawyers cited the Places of Worship Act 1991 and claimed that the petition was not maintainable.

The petitioners also stated that the claims of shivling inside the mosque are being made to confuse people.

Meanwhile, the Hindu side lawyer, Vishnu Jain, told reporters outside the court that holes had been drilled into the ‘Shivling’ to make it look like a fountain.

Earlier, the court had ordered to seal the area adjoining to the shivling and to put a limit to the number of namazis inside the Gyanvapi mosque.

The Varanasi court has further deferred the Gyanvapi case hearing to Monday, May 30. The case is scheduled to be heard at 2 pm on the set date.