Ayodhya: Section144 imposed as Supreme Court hearing enters final leg

Section 144 of the CRPC has been imposed across Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district as the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid dispute will reach its final phase on Monday when the Supreme Court resumes proceedings on the 38th day after a week-long Dussehra break.

Proceedings

The decision to impose Section 144 was taken keeping the security and safety of the people. The section prohibits the assembly of four or more people. The five-judge constitution bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Rajan Gogoi had started day to day proceedings into the matter after mediation proceedings failed to find a solution. The Bench then decided to revise the deadline for wrapping up the proceedings and has fixed it for October 17.

2010 Allahabad High Court Judgement

The 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, stated that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya to be partitioned equally among the three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara, and Ram Lalla Virajman. Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against this judgement. 

Appeals made into the matter

The first appeal in the Ayodhya dispute was made Gopal Singh Visharad, a devotee of 'Ram Lalla', in 1950 to seek enforcement of the right to worship of Hindus at the disputed site. However, this appeal was withdrawn. Later, the 'Nirmohi Akhara' also moved the trial court in 1959 seeking management and (devotee) rights over the 2.77 acres disputed land. The Sunni Waqf Board then moved to the court in 1961 claiming rights over the property. The deity, 'Ram Lalla Virajman' through next friend and former Allahabad High Court judge Deoki Nandan Agrawal, and the Janambhoomi (the birthplace) moved the lawsuit in 1989, seeking title right over the entire disputed property.

READ | Ayodhya case: Hindu Mahasabha lawyer rejects possibility of mediation

Lawsuits transferred to Allahabad High Court

After the demolition of the structure on December 6, 1992, during a political rally, that sparked communal riots in the country, all the lawsuits were transferred to the Allahabad High Court for adjudication. Earlier, the bench comprises of justices SA Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer had said it would wrap up the hearing by October 17, a day sooner than the earlier schedule. It had said that the Muslim side would complete the arguments on October 14 and thereafter, two days would be granted to the Hindu parties, to sum up, their rejoinders by October 16. October 17 would be the last day for wrapping up the hearing when the parties will have to make the final arguments about the relief they are seeking, the court had said.

READ | Ayodhya momentum: First mediation panel meeting as SC deadline nears

Judgement on November 17

The judgment in the matter is to be pronounced by November 17, the day the Chief Justice of India will demit the office. The apex court had on August 6 commenced day-to-day proceedings in the case as the mediation proceedings initiated to find the amicable resolution had failed. The Bench had taken note of the report of the three-member panel, comprising Justice FMI Kallifulla, spiritual guru and founder of the Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate and renowned mediator Sriram Panchu, that mediation proceedings, which went on for about four months, did not result in any final settlement and it had to decide the matter pending before it.

READ | Protracted Ayodhya hearing in SC to enter final leg on October 14

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(With agency inputs)