India, Nov. 21 -- The Varanasi district court on Thursday fixed December 3 as the next date of hearing on a plea seeking replacement of the cloth tied over the sealed lock of the 'wazukhana' (ablution area) inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Lawyer Madan Mohan Yadav, representing the petitioners, said District Judge Sanjiv Shukla fixed December 3 as the next date of hearing on the matter.

He said a hearing is underway in the Supreme Court on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.

In December last year, the Supreme Court had directed lower courts that, as long as the matter is under consideration before it, no new cases should be admitted nor should any order be passed that could affect the proceedings in the Supreme Cour...