Ayodhya

“The objection that a judicial order should have been passed for the constitution of a five-judge bench is apparently frivolous; for it is settled that the Hon’ble Chief Justice is the master of roster. He alone decides the strength of a bench and the judges to sit in it,” said Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar.

Justice Lalit recused himself after senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for M Sidiqui, pointed out the judge’s association with a connected matter. The case pertained to a contempt proceeding that was initiated against the then Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Kalyan Singh, after his government failed to maintain status quo at the disputed site despite the top court’s order. In 1997, justice Lalit appeared for one of the contemnors in the case where Singh was found guilty and sent to jail for a day.

Dhawan submitted that neither he nor his client had any objection if justice Lalit continued to hear the case and that they were ready to argue the matter. Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Ram Lalla (the personification of Lord Ram as an infant), agreed. But justice Lalit withdrew himself from the bench.

“The said facts being pointed out, justice UU Lalit has expressed his disinclination to participate in the hearing any further. We, therefore, have no option but to adjourn the case to another date for the same purpose, which is to a date of hearing and to draw up a time schedule for hearing of the case,” the bench ordered, deferring the hearing to January 29. When Dhawan apologised for bringing the facts on record, the CJI said: “You do not need to apologise. You have asserted the facts.”

The court also placed on record the voluminous documents of the case file, highlighting the daunting task it faces as and when the hearing begins. It has directed the secretary general of the top court to physically inspect the records, make an assessment of the time that will be taken to make the case ready for hearing and place a report before the bench, which will assemble on January 29 to fix a schedule.

The land-title suit is pending before the apex court since 2010 when 14 cross-appeals were filed against the Allahabad high court’s 2010 judgement dividing the 2.77 acre land equally among the three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara, a Hindu religious denomination, and Ram Lalla, represented by the Hindu Mahasabha. ing for 15 years from 1998 to 2013, when the advent of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ended Congress’s rule. The Congress then propped up an AAP government that lasted 49 days before chief minister Arvind Kejriwal resigned following his failure to introduce a bill for appointing an anti-corruption ombudsman, Jan Lokpal.

The Congress failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat from the Capital in the 2014 general elections, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) grabbing all seven, and could not win a single seat in the 2015 assembly elections, which the AAP won by a landslide .

When asked about the possibility of an alliance with AAP in Delhi in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Dikshit said: “It is for the party high-command to decide.”

Chacko downplayed the talk of an alliance and said the Congress was strong enough to fight the elections on its own. “This is only about the appointments of the Delhi Congress president and working presidents…there is no question of discussion till now about alliance of Congress party with any other party [in Delhi]. The Congress in Delhi is strong enough to fight on its own. We are fully prepared and fully ready to face 2019 elections on our own.”

Maken congratulated Dikshit and said under her leadership the Congress party would play the role of a powerful Opposition against the Centre and the state government.

“Congratulations and well wishes to Sheila Dikshit on being appointed as president of Delhi Congress. I had the opportunity to work and learn under her as a parliamentary secretary and as a cabinet minister. I believe under her leadership we will play the role of a powerful opposition against Modi+kejriwal governments,” Maken tweeted.

But Congress leaders said the party has its work cut out before the elections. The three working presidents will play a key role in

DIKSHIT WAS THE LONGEST-REIGNING CHIEF MINISTER OF DELHI, SERVING FOR 15 YEARS FROM 1998 TO 2013, WHEN THE ADVENT OF AAP ENDED CONGRESS’S RULE

galvanising the support of key sections of the electorate, especially Muslims, Dalits and young voters. Yusuf, 60, a four-time MLA from Ballimaran, had been a minister in the Dikshit government since 1998 and handled key portfolios such as power, transport, food and civil supplies, industries and revenue. He is the party’s prominent Muslim face in Delhi.

Yadav, 46, and Lilothia, 49, are both two-time MLAS, from Badli and Patel Nagar, respectively, and are relatively young. They will both play a key role in garnering the support of young voters, who sided with the AAP in 2015, a party leader said on condition of anonymity. Lilothia is a scheduled caste member. Muslims and scheduled castes had been a key vote bank of the Congress until it lost power.

Since its 2015 debacle, the party has been trying to win back its support base. Congress leaders say that the party’s vote share increased from 9% in the 2015 assembly elections to 26% in the municipal elections in 2017.