The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the hearings in the protracted Ramjanambhoomi – Babri Masjid land dispute case must be completed by October 18.
CJI Gogoi said he is considering to hear the matter even on Saturdays or devote an extra hour to the case on a daily basis. “Let us make a joint effort to conclude the same by October 18,” said the Chief Justice.
The court had earlier asked the litigants to file schedules of presenting their arguments. The judgement is expected to be delivered by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is due to retire on November 17 this year.
Given these developments, the five-judge bench of the apex court will have a month to write and deliver the judgement on the country’s most politically charged dispute.
On the plea filed by Ayodhya mediation panel comprising former Supreme Court judge FM Kalifulla, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, the court allowed the mediation to continue alongside daily court hearing as the case had reached an advanced stage.
On September 16, a panel headed by former Supreme Court judge, FM Kalifulla, had moved a memorandum before a bench headed by CJI Gogoi to seek directions to resume negotiations in the case.
