A petition was filed in the Top Court on Monday challenging the constitutional validity of the ‘Acquisition of Certain Area At Ayodhya Act, 1993’. The petition seeks direction to restrain the Central government and the Uttar Pradesh government from interfering in Puja, Darshan and performance of rituals at the places of worship situated within the land admeasuring 67.703 acres acquired by the Act.
The plea is particularly focused on the land belonging to Shri Ram Janam Bhoomi Nyas, Manas Bhavan, Sankat Mochan Mandir, Ram Janmasthan Temple, Janki Mahal and Katha Mandap. The plea mentioned that Parliament has no legislative competence to take over or acquire the property belonging to the state.
It added that state legislature has executive power to make provision related to the management of religious institutions of the state.
The Plea in the top Court comes days after Centre Government moved to Supreme Court seeking permission for release of excess vacant land acquired around Ayodhya disputed site and be handed over to Ramjanambhoomi Nyas. Centre seeks direction to release 67 acres acquired land out of which 0.313 acres is disputed land.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas which has right over 42 acres of the land out of 67 acres had moved to Central Government seeking a return of its 42 acres acquired land. The central government in 1991 had acquired 67-acre land around the disputed site. Yogi Adityanath, Ram Madhav, others hail Centre’s move for the release of excess land in Ayodhya
Earlier on January 27, Supreme Court had deferred the Hearing of the Ayodhya Title Dispute Case citing ‘unavailability’ of one of the five Judges. ‘Justice S A Bobde will not be available on January 29 due to which sitting of the Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi stands cancelled’, as per a notice issued by the Supreme Court registry.
The notice, however, has not mentioned a future date for the hearing of Ayodhya Title Dispute.
The Ayodhya Dispute title case deals with who owns the controversial land where Babri Masjid once stood and where Lord Ram Believed to have been born. The Allahabad High Court in 2010 verdict had divided the land between three petitioners — two of favoured building a Ram Mandir at the Ayodhya site while the third wanted the Babri Masjid rebuilt.
All the petitioners appealed against the Allahabad High Court verdict. The Supreme Court will now begin hearing those appeals.