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Ayodhya hearing on 29th as judge recuses

NEW DELHI:The hearing in the politically sensitive Ayodhya dispute was deferred to January 29 after Justice UU Lalit, part of a five-judge Constitution Bench set up to decide the case, today recused himself.

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Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 10

The hearing in the politically sensitive Ayodhya dispute was deferred to January 29 after Justice UU Lalit, part of a five-judge Constitution Bench set up to decide the case, today recused himself.

The development took place after senior counsel Rajiv Dhavan, representing a Muslim party in the case, pointed out that Justice Lalit had as a lawyer represented a contemnor in a contempt matter relating to the Ayodhya case against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh in 1997.

While pointing out the possible conflict of interest at the outset of the hearing, Dhavan said he was not seeking Justice Lalit’s recusal. But the judge showed “disinclination” to participate in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case hearing any further. Led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, the Bench had Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana and Justice DY Chandrachud on it.

“We, therefore, have no option but to adjourn the case to another date for the same purpose i.e. to fix a date of hearing and to draw up a time schedule for hearing,” the Bench said, posting the matter for January 29.

The Bench also clarified that setting up of a five-judge Bench to hear the vexed issue was in tune with Supreme Court Order-VI Rule-1, which only says the minimum number of judges on a Bench has to be two.

The top court also ordered its registry to physically examine the records stored in 15 sealed trunks and also verify if voluminous records/documents in six languages were translated or not. 

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