PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court on Wednesday rapped Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) director general (DG) V Vidyavathi for failing to file a report regarding carbon dating of the purported shivling found inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex despite being given several chances.
However, “as a measure of last opportunity”, the court allowed the DG ASI further time to submit the desired report on or before April 17, but made it clear that no more time would be granted in future.
Terming ASI’s DG inaction as ‘lethargic attitude’, the HC said, “Inaction appears to have hampered the proceedings of this court on the point of consideration and disposal of this revision. Certainly, this lethargic attitude on the part of the ASI director general is highly deplorable and such practice must be deprecated. The desired report has not been submitted though directed since November 2022.”
While fixing April 17 as the next date, Justice Arvind Kumar Mishra-1 said, “A high authority holding the post of director general, ASI, controlling particular administration all over the country must know the seriousness of the matter and ought to respect the orders of the court, primarily of higher courts.”
“Though the director general, ASI does not deserve any further time but it would be in the fitness of things before proceeding straightway with consideration of the merit of this revision to give the last chance to submit a report. Things cannot be kept pending for long when the matter has elements of high publicity all over the country. This court will not permit any authority to occasion delay on the pretext of the submission of the desired report of the ASI,” he said.
Earlier, on March 20, while expressing displeasure over non-filing of response by the ASI, despite eight weeks’ time given to it, the high court while fixing April 5 for the next hearing had granted one last chance to ASI to file its response by then to clarify whether the carbon-dating of the object (purported Shivling) could damage it or safe evaluation of its age can be done.
However, “as a measure of last opportunity”, the court allowed the DG ASI further time to submit the desired report on or before April 17, but made it clear that no more time would be granted in future.
Terming ASI’s DG inaction as ‘lethargic attitude’, the HC said, “Inaction appears to have hampered the proceedings of this court on the point of consideration and disposal of this revision. Certainly, this lethargic attitude on the part of the ASI director general is highly deplorable and such practice must be deprecated. The desired report has not been submitted though directed since November 2022.”
While fixing April 17 as the next date, Justice Arvind Kumar Mishra-1 said, “A high authority holding the post of director general, ASI, controlling particular administration all over the country must know the seriousness of the matter and ought to respect the orders of the court, primarily of higher courts.”
“Though the director general, ASI does not deserve any further time but it would be in the fitness of things before proceeding straightway with consideration of the merit of this revision to give the last chance to submit a report. Things cannot be kept pending for long when the matter has elements of high publicity all over the country. This court will not permit any authority to occasion delay on the pretext of the submission of the desired report of the ASI,” he said.
Earlier, on March 20, while expressing displeasure over non-filing of response by the ASI, despite eight weeks’ time given to it, the high court while fixing April 5 for the next hearing had granted one last chance to ASI to file its response by then to clarify whether the carbon-dating of the object (purported Shivling) could damage it or safe evaluation of its age can be done.