Here is a chronology of events in Ayodhya land dispute case

New Delhi, November 9

The following is the chronology of events in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in Ayodhya in which the Supreme Court on Saturday granted entire 2.77-acre of disputed land to deity Ram Lalla.

1528: Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander of Mughal emperor Babur

1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure. Court rejects the plea

1949: Idols of Ram Lalla placed under central dome outside the disputed structure

1950: Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad district court for rights to worship the idols of Ram Lalla. Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols

1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site

1961: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site

Feb 1, 1986: Local court orders the government to open the site for Hindu worshippers

Aug 14, 1989: Allahabad HC orders maintenance of status quo in respect of the disputed structure

Dec 6, 1992: Babri Masjid demolished

Apr 3, 1993: ‘Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act’ passed for acquiring land by Centre in the disputed area. Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Faruqui, filed in Allahabad HC challenging various aspects of the Act.

SC exercising its jurisdiction under Article 139A transferred the writ petitions, which were pending in the High Court

Oct 24, 1994: SC says in historic Ismail Faruqui case mosque was not integral to Islam

Apr 2002: HC begins hearing on determining who owns the disputed site

Mar 13, 2003: SC says, in the Aslam alias Bhure case, no religious activity of any nature be allowed at the acquired land

Sep 30, 2010: HC, in a 2:1 majority, rules three-way division of disputed area between Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla

May 9, 2011: SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute

Mar 21, 2017: CJI JS Khehar suggests out-of-court settlement among rival parties

Aug 7: SC constitutes three-judge bench to hear pleas challenging 1994 verdict of the Allahabad HC

Feb 8, 2018: SC starts hearing the civil appeals

Jul 20: SC reserves verdict

Sep 27: SC declines to refer the case to a five-judge Constitution bench. Case to be heard by a newly-constituted three-judge bench on October 29

Oct 29: SC fixes the case for the first week of January before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing

Dec 24: SC decides to take up petitions on case for hearing on January 4, 2019

Jan 4, 2019: SC says an appropriate bench constituted by it will pass an order on January 10 for fixing the date of hearing in the title case

Jan 8: SC sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the case headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, UU Lalit and DY Chandrachud

Jan 10: Justice UU Lalit recuses himself prompting SC to reschedule the hearing for January 29 before a new bench

Jan 25: SC reconstitutes 5-member Constitution Bench to hear the case. The new bench comprises Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer

Jan 29: Centre moves SC seeking permission to return the 67-acre acquired land around the disputed site to original owners

Feb 26: SC favours mediation, fixes March 5 for order on whether to refer matter to court-appointed mediator

Mar 8: SC refers the dispute for mediation by a panel headed by former apex court judge FMI Kallifulla

Apr 9: Nirmohi Akhara opposes in SC Centre’s plea to return acquired land around Ayodhya site to owners

May 9: 3-member mediation committee submits interim report in SC

May 10: SC extends time till Aug 15 to complete mediation process

Jul 11: SC seeks report on “progress of mediation”.

Jul 18: SC allows mediation process to continue, seeks outcome report by Aug 1

Aug 1: Report of mediation submitted in sealed cover to SC

Aug 2: SC decides to conduct day-to-day hearing from Aug 6 as mediation fails

Aug 6: SC commences day-to-day hearing on the land dispute

Oct 4: SC says it will wrap up hearing on Oct 17, judgment by Nov 17

SC directs UP govt to provide security to state Waqf Board Chairperson

Oct 16: SC concludes hearing; reserves order

Nov 9: SC grants entire 2.77-acre of disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla; possession of land will remain with Central government receiver. SC also directs Centre and UP govt to allot 5-acre land to the Muslims at a prominent place for building mosque. PTI