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Ayodhya dispute: Parties file their written submissions; reiterate their claim over disputed site

NEW DELHI: 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.

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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 that had—while reserving its verdict on October 16—given then three days to spell out their respective stand on “moulding of relief”. 

The Bench—which also included 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 disputed 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 his last working day of CJI Gogoi who is due to retire on November 17. 

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

However, the Supreme Court-appointed mediation panel headed by Justice FMI Kaifulla is said to have submitted a report that Sunni Wakf 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 its stand.

Wakf Board lawyers—who filed their written submission in a sealed cover – had earlier attacked the mediation panel and its member Sriram Panchu for leaking its report to the media. 

Heard for 40 days, Ayodhya case has become India’s second longest oral hearing in its history, the first being the historic Keswananda Bharti (1973) case which went on for 68 working days and led to propounding of the basic structure theory. Aadhaar Constitution Bench hearing went on for 38 days last year. 

Hindus believe that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya thousands of years ago. During Mughal emperor Babur’s rule, a mosque was constructed at the place in 1528 after destroying the temples existing there, the Hindu parties contended.

The Hindu parties have contended that Muslims have several places for offering namaz in Ayodhya. However, for Hindus the place of birth of Lord Ram remains the same and it can’t be changed. 

On December 6, 1992, the disputed structure was demolished by Hindu activists and since then there exists a makeshift temple at the disputed site. Senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti are facing trial in the demolition case.

 

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