Ayodhya case verdict likely in two months

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it may conclude hearing in the Ayodhya dispute case by October 18 in keeping with the schedule given by counsel from Muslim and Hindu sides.

This is an indication that the over 70-year-old legal wrangle related to Babri Masjid and Ram temple could see its judicial denouement within two months.

The top court's observations meant that the five-judge bench would get one month's time to finalise the judgement, if that remains the scenario.

Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who headed the bench hearing the matter, is to demit office on November 17.

In a related development, the top court said the parties, keen to resolve the issue through mediation, can go ahead with it.

The mediation proceedings, however, would have to remain confidential, the court added, while acknowledging a letter received by the Justice Kalifullah-headed panel.

"The hearing of the appeals, which is at a very advanced stage, will continue without any interruption.

If, in the meantime, the parties desire to settle the matter, including, by resort to mediation by the earlier constituted mediation panel, they may do so and place the settlement before the Court, if reached," the bench said.

The mediation panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice F M I Kalifullah had on Monday filed a memorandum before the top court seeking a direction on a request made by the Sunni Waqf Board and Nirvani Akhara for resumption of negotiations.

The previous bid for negotiation by the top court-appointed panel, also comprising spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, a renowned mediator, did not reach the desired result, making the court to start day-to-day hearing from August 6.

On Wednesday, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who represented the Muslim side, indicated the schedule for concluding arguments after interacting with other counsel.

The top court had on Tuesday asked the counsel for both Hindu and Muslim parties in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case to inform it about the tentative "time schedule" for concluding their arguments.

The hearing in the case before the bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer, entered the 26th day on Wednesday.

The Allahabad High Court, in its judgement of 2010, had partitioned the 2.77-acre disputed land equally among Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the Supreme Court against the verdict by both the Hindu and the Muslim sides.