SC bench to hear Ayodhya land row

Dispute over Ram mandir, Babri masjid site

New Delhi, Aug. 7: The Supreme Court has constituted a three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case from August 11.

The bench, whose other members are Justices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer, would adjudicate the dispute over ownership of Ram templeBabri masjid land.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had in 2010 ruled a threeway division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid site in Ayodhya.

The three-judge bench of the High Court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On July 21, a bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar had said that it would soon take a decision to list the matter for early hearing.

The court’s remark had come on a plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who sought urgent listing and hearing of the matter.

Mr Swamy had said that the main appeals against the Allahabad High Court order are pending for the last seven years in the apex court and these required urgent hearing.

He had also said that a separate petition had earlier been filed by him seeking enforcement of his right to worship without much hassle at the site.

The BJP leader had told the court that he has been allowed by the SC to intervene in the matter and is seeking expeditious disposal of the cases.