Litigants reiterate their claim over disputed Ayodhya land

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 19 

Three days after the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute, parties to the case have filed their written submissions before the court reiterating their respective claim over the entire disputed site. 

The written submissions have been filed in terms of the order of a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, which had, while reserving its verdict on October 16, given them three days to spell out their respective stand on “moulding of relief”.

The Bench, also including Justice SA Bobde, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer,  is to adjudicate on 14 cross-appeals against the Allahabad High Court’s September 30, 2010, judgment equally dividing the 2.77-acre land between Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and Muslims. 

The parties had been asked to tell the Bench specific points each one of them wanted it to adjudicate on and nature and extent of relief they were seeking, including alternative reliefs sought by them. The parties have chosen to reiterate the stand they took during the day-to-day hearings that often extended beyond usual court hours. 

The verdict is expected by November 15 (Friday), which will be the last working day of CJI Gogoi, due to retire on November 17. 

Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and other Hindu parties have demanded that the suit be decreed in their favour while the counsel representing the Sunni Waqf Board during the court proceedings have demanded restoration of status quo ante i.e. pre-demolition position that existed on December 5, 1992.

However, the SC-appointed mediation panel headed by Justice FMI Kalifulla is said to have submitted a report that the Sunni Waqf Board was ready to relinquish its claim over the disputed land if Muslims’ interests were taken care of. Board’s chairman Zafar Ahmad Farooqui had confirmed this.