Ayodhya Land Dispute: Ram Lalla counsel says 'NO' to new round of mediation

On Monday, Lawyer for Ram Lalla, the deity which has staked claim over the disputed 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya, informed the Supreme Court that they were not taking part in the second round of mediations to sort out the politically vexatious issue even as the CJI mandated deadline of Oct 18, 2019, for completing the court hearing drew nearer.

The Nirmohi Akhara, the traditional sebaiyat of the deity, too is staying away from the process.

That places a greater responsibility on the top court to wind up the arguments well ahead of the deadline and deliver a judgement before CJI Ranjan Gogoi demits office on November 17, 2019. Otherwise, the case will have to be heard afresh, an eventuality that everyone wants to avoid.

The CJI has been acting tough on lawyers insisting that they wind up their arguments early.

He also suggested that the bench may sit for a hearing on Saturday, a rarity, if need be in view of the two court breaks over Dusshera and Diwali.

That leaves the court will only four odd working days to wind up the hearing. A Saturday hearing would be unprecedented. The top court has, therefore, urged the lawyers on both sides to wind up arguments quickly and submit written submissions if any.

At the end of arguments on Monday, the CJI also took note of the submission of senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan that they were not taking part in the ongoing mediation. “We are not taking part in the mediation,” Vaidyanathan told a five-judge bench led by CJI Gogoi which is hearing the Ayodhya appeals and cross-appeals.

The Allahabad High Court had in 2010 carved up the land, on which the now-demolished Babri structure once stood, between the warring Hindus and Muslims in the ratio of 2:1.

Both sides are now in the top court seeking sole possession of the land. The Akhara and the deity have also been fighting inter se for sole possession.

The Akhara has made it clear that it will not contest the deity’s title rights only if it doesn’t contest its sebaiyat status which gives it management and control rights over the deity.

The top court had allowed the second round of mediation after a Sunni Central Wakf Board member sought to reopen of mediation.

The mediation panel, which is led by former top court judge FMI Kalifullah, had urged the court to let the process go on.

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