Ayodhya Case | Hearing likely to conclude today as SC brings forward deadline again

New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: The day-to-day hearing in the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri land dispute will come to an end on Wednesday, bringing down curtains on the claims and counter-claims by Hindu and Muslim parties over the disputed site in Ayodhya before the judiciary that went on 70 years.

“Today is 39th day. Tomorrow is 40th day and last day of hearing in the case,” said Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on the 39th day of the daily hearing in the vexatious matter.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi-led five-judge Constitution bench had began the day-to-day hearing in the vexatious dispute on August 6 after the mediation proceedings failed to find an amicable solution. It had set October 18 as the last date to conclude hearing in the matter, but later preponed it to October 17.

The judgment in the matter is to be pronounced by November 17, the day the Chief Justice of India will demit the office.

On the final day of the hearing, the CJI has allocated initial 45 minutes to Hindu parties followed by one hour to Muslim side, and then four slots of 45 minute each to assorted parties involved in the matter. This is then likely to be followed by moulding of relief in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

Giving the time frame to the concerned parties, the apex court said it would extend the hearing duration and sit till 5 pm on Wednesday to give time for final submissions and rejoinders to the Hindu and Muslim parties. The court also sat till 5 pm on Tuesday.

Fixing the schedule for the final leg of the lengthy arguments, it had said that the Muslim side would complete the arguments on October 14 and thereafter, two days would be granted to the Hindu parties to sum up their rejoinders by October 16.

On the 39th day of hearing on Tuesday, a Hindu party told the apex court that a “historic wrong” was committed by victorious emperor Babur by constructing a mosque at the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya which needed to be rectified now.

The CJI-led Constitution bench was told by former Attorney General and senior advocate K Parasaran, appearing for a Hindu party, that there were several mosques in Ayodhya where Muslims can pray but Hindus cannot change the birth place of Lord Ram.

Parasaran, appearing for Mahant Suresh Das, who is a defendant in a law suit filed by Sunni Waqf Board and others, said that emperor Babur conquered India and committed a historical wrong by constructing a mosque at the birthplace of Lord Ram by placing himself above the law.

The bench, also comprising justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer, asked several questions to Parasaran on legal issues like law of limitation, doctrine of adverse possession and questions as to how Muslims are ousted from seeking title over 2.77 acre disputed land at Ayodhya.

The bench asked whether Muslims can seek a decree of declaration with regard to the disputed property even after the demolition of the alleged mosque on December 6, 1992.

"They say, once a mosque always a mosque, do you support this, the bench asked Parasaran.

"No. I do not support it. I will say once a temple always a temple," Parasaran replied.

The bench said that it has been argued by the Muslim parties that they can seek a decree of declaration for the property even if the building in question was no more in existence.

After the bench asked a volley of questions to Parasaran, the CJI said: "Mr Dhavan are we asking sufficient number of questions to the Hindu parties now."

The observation assumes significance as senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the Muslim parties, had alleged on Monday that questions are asked only from them and not posed to the Hindu side during the hearings in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri masjid land dispute case.

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court’s 2010 judgment, delivered in four civil suits, which had partitioned the 2.77-acre disputed land equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.   

(With PTI inputs)