The Supreme Court had granted the ownership of the 2.77 acres of disputed land in Ayodhya to the Hindus for the construction of a temple and ruled that the Muslims will get 5 acres of land at an alternative site.
Supreme Court (Photo: Getty Images)
Upholding its November 9 verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed all the review petitions challenging its judgement on the Ayodhya title dispute.
In a landmark judgement, a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi ruled that the disputed 2.77-acre land will be taken over by a Government trust for the construction of the temple, while a suitable alternative plot of land measuring 5 acres at a prominent site in Ayodhya will be given to the Sunni Wakf Board.
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Pronouncing a “unanimous” judgement, the Supreme Court had said that “the law must stand apart over politics, religion and beliefs”.
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The judgement weighed heavily on the Archaeological Survey of India report.
A group of 40 historians, academics and activists had sought a full-bench review of its November 9 order.
The new five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, comprised Justices Ashok Bhushan, SA Nazeer, DY Chandrachud and Sanjiv Khanna.
The in-chamber review began by the circulation of petitions. A total of 18 review petitions were filed in the apex court in connection with its November 9 judgement – nine parties were part of the earlier litigation and the remaining were filed by third parties.
The bulk comprised review pleas from Muslim parties expressing discontent with the judgement.
Hearing of the 134-year-old politically sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute lasted for 40 days which is the second biggest after the landmark Kesavanand Bharti case in 1973 which lasted for 68 days.
The court began the daily hearing after the court-appointed mediation panel headed by former Supreme Court Justice FMI Kalifulla and comprising spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar along with senior advocate Sriram Panchu failed to develop a consensus among the parties to arrive at an amicable solution.
The Allahabad High Court in 2010 through a judgement had equally partitioned the dispute 2.77 acre land between – Ram Lalla Virajman, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Waqf Board. A total of 14 appeals were filed in the apex court in four civil suits.
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