Next hearing on 14 March
Our Correspondent / New Delhi
The Supreme Court today that it would deal Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case as a ‘pure land dispute’. The apex court also clarified that it never intended to hear the case on a “day-to-day basis”.
The bench, also comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer, said it will deal with the instant matter as a pure land dispute.
Indicating it would not be swayed by the history of religious conflict and violence associated with the Ayodhya site, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra addressed a tense and crowded courtroom, saying “please treat this as a land issue.”
Supreme Court asked parties before the Allahabad High Court in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute to file English translation of excerpts of vernacular books relied upon in the case, within two weeks.
A special bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that it would hear the appeals on the March 14th.
The special bench of the apex court is seized of a total 14 appeals filed against the Allahabad high Court judgement delivered in four civil suits.
In a majority ruling in 2010, a three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court had ordered partitioning of the land equally among three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
The Supreme Court also directed its Registry today to provide copies of video cassettes, which were part of high court records, to parties on actual cost.
The apex court clarified that it never intended to hear the case on a “day-to-day basis”.
The special bench indicated that impleadment applications of those which were not before the High Court would be dealt with later.
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The Hindu parties and sects involved in the dispute believe Lord Ram was born on this land. Kar sevaks razed the 15th century Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.
In September 2010, a three-judge Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court attempted to bring quietus by pronouncing a three-way partition of the disputed site. But this judgment had only led to appeals and cross appeals filed by parties in the Supreme Court.
The Sunni Waqf Board on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the high court judgment splitting the Ayodhya land between Hindus and Muslims in a two-to-one ratio was an insult to justice.
The board’s counsel, Rajeev Dhavan, also urged a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra to hold daily, continuous hearings on the issue because of its significant ramifications at home and abroad.
The senior lawyer said he had at least 12 legal propositions to lead, including sending the appeals against the high court judgment to a larger bench.
The Chief Justice said he was conscious of the need to have a daily hearing, but that cases involving the common man couldn’t be ignored.