A Varanasi court on Wednesday reserved till November 18 its order on a plea seeking handing over of keys to a basement of the Gyanvapi mosque to the Varanasi district magistrate.

"The court of District Judge A K Vishvesh while hearing the matter of transfer of the keys of Vyas Ji ka tehkhan reserved the order till November 18," District Government Counsel Rajesh Mishra said.

Petitioner Madan Mohan Yadav pleaded before the court that opposition by the Gyanvapi mosque committee is not maintainable.

Yadav said that authorities had barricaded and locked the basement known as "Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana" in 1993. Prior to it, the basement was used for worship by Somnath Vyas, a priest, Yadav said in his plea.

Yadav has pleaded that the key be handed over to the district magistrate, fearing that the contents of the basement could be tampered with.

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