Ayodhya row: Supreme Court suggests out-of-court settlement
The Supreme Court on Tuesday suggested an out of court settlement of the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi dispute at Ayodhya, saying that issues of “religion and sentiments” can be best resolved through talks.
Chief Justice J.S. Khehar also offered to mediate even as the Bench headed by him suggested that the parties to the dispute adopt a “give a bit and take a bit” approach for a meaningful and sincere negotiations to resolve the issue.
In 2010, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court ruled for a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at the site in Uttar Pradesh.
The three-judge Bench, by a majority of 2:1, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties, the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the ‘Ram Lalla’ (Infant Ram).
The Supreme Court Bench said, “These are issues of religion and sentiments. These are issues where all the parties can sit together and arrive at a consensual decision to end the dispute. These issues are best decided jointly. All of you may sit together and hold a cordial meeting,” the Bench, also comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and S.K. Kaul, said.
On February 26, 2016, the apex court allowed Mr. Swamy to intervene in the pending matters relating to the Ayodhya title dispute with his plea seeking construction of Ram temple at the site of the demolished disputed structure.
The BJP leader had moved the plea for a direction to allow construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya at the disputed site and had mentioned it before a bench headed by then Chief Justice T.S. Thakur for an urgent hearing.
In his petition, Mr. Swamy had claimed that under the practices prevalent in Islamic countries, a mosque could be shifted to any other place for public purposes like constructing road, whereas a temple once constructed cannot be touched.
He had also sought directions to expedite the disposal of several petitions challenging the September 30, 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict of three-way division of the disputed site.
The dispute before the court was whether the 2.7 acres of disputed land on which the Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished on December 6, 1992, belongs to the Sunni Central Waqf Board or to the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.
The Allahabad HC, by a majority verdict, had ruled for a three-way division of the disputed area.
It had directed that the disputed site of 2.77 acres be partitioned equally among three parties.
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Source:The hindu
Supreme court
