Ahead of Supreme Court's verdict, a timeline of the Ayodhya dispute

The Supreme Court will pronounce its much-awaited verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid land dispute case on  Saturday morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for calm ahead of the verdict as security has been beefed in Uttar Pradesh especially in Ayodhya. So far, 18,000 police officers, 3,000 state Rapid Action Force staff and 4,000 Central forces have been deployed in Ayodhya to maintain law and order. The Uttar Pradesh Government ahead of the verdict has declared that all schools, colleges, and training centres will be shut from November 9 to November 11.

The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on Saturday at 10.30 am. A five-judge constitution bench had heard day-to-day arguments in the case in a marathon hearing that lasted 40 days

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Here is a timeline of the second-lengthiest case in the apex court history: 

• 1528: Babri Mosque built by Mughal emperor Babur's commander Mir Baqi
• 1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files a petition in the Faizabad District Court, seeking permission to build a structure next to the mosque. The plea is rejected. 
• 1949: Idol of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita found inside the mosque by unknown persons. Hindus call it divine appearance and start offering prayers. 
• 1950: Two suits filed in a Faizabad court by Gopal Simla Visharad and Paramhansa Ramachandra Das, seeking permission to worship the idols at the mosque
• 1959: Nirmohi Akhara, a party in the case in the Supreme Court, files suit seeking possession of the site
• 1981: Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site and removal of idols from the mosque
• 1986: A local court orders opening of the site and allows Hindus to offer prayers.
• 1989: The Allahabad High Court orders status quo on the site. Rajiv Gandhi government at the Centre lets Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) perform shilanyaas for Ram Temple.
• 1990: BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani starts Rath Yatra from Gujarat to gather support for the temple.
• 1992: Babri Mosque structure demolished by karsewaks 
• 1993: The Central passes an Act to acquire land in and around the disputed site in Ayodhya.
• 1994: In the Ismail Faruqui case, the Supreme Court rules that the mosque is not integral to Islam
• 2002: The Allahabad High Court starts hearing to adjudicate the ownership of the disputed site.
• 2003: The Supreme Court bars any religious activity at the site.
• 2010: The Allahabad High Court rules trifurcation of the 2.77-acre disputed land between UP Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla Virajman.
• 2011: The Supreme Court stays the High Court order
• 2016: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy files plea in the Supreme Court seeking permission to worship and construction of Ram Temple at the disputed site.
• 2018: The Supreme Court rejects all interim pleas, including that of Swamy, seeking to intervene as parties in the case. Advocate Rajeev Dhavan files plea in the court requesting it to refer the issue of reconsideration of its 1994 judgement to a larger bench which is denied. The court forms a three-judge bench instead to hear the case.
• January 2019: Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi constitutes a five-judge Constitutional Bench to hear the case
• March 2019: The Supreme Court appoints a mediation panel headed by Judge (retd) FMI Kallifulla for an out-of-court settlement on March 8.
• August 2019: The mediation panel fails to reach an amicable settlement. The Supreme Court begins hearing on August 6.
• Oct 2019: After hearing the case on a day-to-day basis for 40 days, the court reserves its order on October 15

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(Inputs from ANI)