Supreme Court begins hearing plea to defer Babri Masjid verdict.

Mtoday news

New Delhi, Sept 28:  A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India, is hearing a petition and is expected to decide today on whether verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute case should be deferred or not.
 
Last week, on September 23, a Supreme Court interim order had restrained the Allahabad High Court from pronouncing the verdict in the four title suits. The verdict of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court was to have been delivered a day later.

 

"The difference between Mandir group and Masjid group are so diverse. That’s why we want the judgement to be pronounced," said Anoop Chaudhri, senior lawyer for Sunni Central Board of Waqf Board, UP.
 
There are 27 respondents in the case. And a few say Tripathi’s suggestion is worth considering. The Nirmohi Akhara, a key party in the suit, said it would request the Supreme Court to ask for the verdict to be deferred for three months to allow for a solution through negotiations.

For the first time the Centre is also a party to the case, and a lot could depend on its stand in the matter. The Attorney-General of India is representing the Centre. 
 
If the Supreme Court gives a go-ahead for verdict today, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court will have two days to deliver the verdict. This is because one of the three judges on the bench hearing the title suit, DV Sharma, retires on October 1.
 
The retiring judge can be given an ad hoc extension, but if that does not happen and verdict is not pronounced before October 1, arguments could have to be heard again and the verdict could be further delayed in the 60-year-old case.
 
The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which is hearing the petition today, comprises of Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia, Justice Aftab Alam and Justice KS Radhakrishnan.