Hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Title dispute case which was scheduled for January 29 has been deferred by the Top Court due to unavailing of one of the judges, Justice S.A. Bobde. ‘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.
Speaking on the issue, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as quoted by ANI said, ‘People of the country expect Ram Temple to be constructed in Ayodhya. As a citizen, I would like to say that this issue has been pending for the last 70 years, it should be solved as soon as possible‘.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Ram Temple case: People of the country expect Ram Temple to be constructed in Ayodhya. As a citizen, I would like to say that this issue has been pending for the last 70 years, it should be solved as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/lngLFDTwqI
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2019
Earlier on Friday, January 25, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi reconstituted the 5 Judge Constitutional Bench importantly drafting in the lone Muslim SC judge in Justice S Abdul Nazeer. The reconstitution of the bench was necessitated after Justice U U Lalit recused from the case on January 10. This was followed by Justice N V Ramana withdrawing citing personal reasons. Judge UU Lalit on January 10 left the case saying ‘He was a lawyer in the case earlier’. Following which the court adjourned matter and deferred next hearing date to January 29.
With two judges dropping out, the CJI decided to draft Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Nazeer into the five-judge bench led by him. The other two judges on the bench are Justice S A Bobde and Justice D Y Chandrachud.
Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had on January 8 appointed 5 judges constitutional bench to take up the hearing on the case. Five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi includes – Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice UU Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud. CJI Ranjan Gogoi to head 5 judge bench to take up Ayodhya title dispute case from Jan 10
Earlier on Jan 4 in 60-second hearing that did not see any arguments from either side, Supreme Court on said, ” The title suit in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case will be heard on January 10 by appropriate Bench”.
The Apex Court on Jan 4 also dismissed a PIL seeking to hear the Ayodhya matter on urgent and day to day basis. The PIL was filed by an advocate Harinath Ram in November 2018.
On December 24, Supreme court has decided to hear Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case on January 4
BJP on its part is pressing for fast hearing in the case keeping in mind the electoral gains for the upcoming Lok Sabha 2019 Polls. Ravi Shankar Prasad urges for fast-track hearing in 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.