New Delhi, May 10 The Supreme Court on Friday will conduct the hearing on the issues related to the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, a notification said.
The court authorities published a notice on the apex court’s website detailing on the composition of the bench that will hear the matter and mentioned that the matter will be taken up at 10.30 a.m.
A five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S.A. Bobde, D.Y. Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S. Abdul Nazeer, will hear the matter for the first time since the last hearing on March 8.
In the previous hearing, the top court had referred the politically sensitive case, which has greater societal ramifications, pending for many decades for mediation, and constituted a panel for the same purpose.
Former Supreme Court judge F.M. Kalifulla is the head of the panel and he has been tasked by the court to hold a consultation to explore a potential avenue through which an amicable settlement between the parties could finally arrive.
The other two members of the panel are Sri Sri Ravishankar, renowned spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living Foundation; and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, who is a well-known mediator in the legal circles. The panel was constituted after the court noted “the lack of consensus between the parties in the matter”.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the panel to conduct in-camera proceedings and complete the mediation within eight weeks.
The court had recommended this on February 26, when it took up appeals regarding the dispute. The court said it could only decide on a property and what it was looking at was “a possibility of healing relationships”.
During the hearing, the court had stressed to maintain the confidentiality of the conduct of the proceedings, as it will protect the on-going dialogue to be shielded from unwarranted controversies and also unsolicited comments.
Muslim petitioners have welcomed the Court’s decision on mediation, but Hindu bodies, except for the Nirmohi Akhara and the Uttar Pradesh government, were not in favour.
Major Highlights of the Case
- The Top Court Five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on March 6 said Parties to suggest a name for mediator or panel for mediators.Apart from CJI, the other 4 Judges includes – Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice UU Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud.
- Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha – one of the Stakeholders in the Politically motivated case of Ram Janmabhoomi – Babri Masjid Case suggested three names as mediators in Ayodhya Title dispute case. The Hindu Mahasabha proposed the names of Former Chief Justices Dipak Misra, Jagdish Singh Khehar and Former Supreme Court Judge AK Patnaik.
- While Nirmohia Akhara also proposed names of Supreme Court Retired Judge Kurian Joseph, AK Patnaik and GS Singhvi.
- Justice SA Bobde while starting the hearing the case on March 6 said, ‘It’s about sentiments, about religion and about faith. We are conscious of the gravity of the dispute’. Justice added that there is need of panel of mediators and not just mediator to solve the issue.
- Muslim Stakeholders in the Case submitted before the court that they agree to go for Mediation. “Muslim petitioners are agreeable to mediation and any compromise or settlement will bind parties,” said Advocate Rajeev Dhavan who is appeared in the Court on behalf of a group of Muslim petitioners.
- However, Advocate Vishnu Jain who appeared for Hindu Mahasabha submitted before that the mediation path cannot be taken in resolving the title dispute. He added that Its lawyer even if mediation is ordered, they will maintain the stance in front of the mediator.
- The Apex Court had on February 26 pressed for court-monitored mediation to save time or not. Justice Bobde had said that ‘even if there is only a 1% chance of Mediation, it should be explored”
- Earlier, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had on Jan 25 reconstituted the 5 Judge Bench and inducted a Muslim Judge S Abdul Nazir.
- The new Bench was necessitated after Justice U U Lalit recused from the case on January 10. This was followed by Justice N V Ramana and UU Lalit withdrawing.
Background
The Allahabad High Court in 2010 verdict had divided the land between three petitioners — two favoured building a Ram Mandir at the Ayodhya site while the third wanted the Babri Masjid rebuilt.
All the stakeholders in the case moved to Top Court against the Allahabad High Court verdict. The Supreme Court has begun hearing those appeals. The Ayodhya Dispute title case deals with who owns the Ayodhya controversial land where Babri Masjid once stood that was later demolished and where Lord Ram Believed to have been born as claimed.
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