CJI Chandrachud, part of Ayodhya verdict bench, unlikely to attend Jan 22 consecration ceremony

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, who was a part of a five-judge bench which delivered the Ayodhya verdict in 2019, is unlikely to attend the January 22 consecration ceremony.

All five Supreme Court judges who delivered the verdict paving the way for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, have been invited as state guests to witness the ceremony.

However, the SC cause list released for January 22 disclosed that CJI would be presiding over the bench on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh government’s list of invitees also included over 50 jurists, including former chief justices, judges, and top lawyers, including K Parasaran, senior advocate who represented ‘Ram Lalla’ before the apex court.

Besides the CJI Chandrachud, former CJIs Ranjan Gogoi and S A Bobde and former apex court judges Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer were part of the bench, which delivered the historic verdict on November 9, 2019.

In its unanimous verdict, the top court had ruled in favour of the Hindu side and backed the construction of a Ram temple by the trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

According to the temple trust, over 7,000 people, including politicians, celebrities, industrialists, saints are slated to attend the ceremony. The invitation has been sent by the special secretary protocol of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and former Attorney General K K Venugopal are also among the invitees.