Ayodhya dispute: SC grants more time to mediation panel

The Supreme Court on Friday granted a mediation panel headed by former judge, Justice F M I Kalifullah, further time till August 15 to find out an amicable resolution of the vexed Ayodhya dispute, related to Babri Masjid and Ram Temple, saying the committee was optimistic about it.

"We have received a report from chairman of the mediation committee. It sought extension of time, we are inclined for it," a five-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said.

The court also pointed out that the mediation panel was optimistic about the results and hence, there was no reason why the time for exploring the possibility of a settlement should not be explored.

On March 8, the court had referred the 70-year-old dispute for mediation by a panel headed by Justice Kalifulla to find out the possibility of an amicable settlement, even though the Hindu sides had then opposed it.

On a plea by the parties, the court, meanwhile, allowed them to file objections to translations of vernacular documents being carried out by the SC registry.

On Friday, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing the Muslim sides and senior advocates S K Jain and C S Vaidyanathan and others, appearing for the Hindu sides, expressed their willingness to cooperate with the panel before the five judge bench also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer.

Spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, a renowned mediator, are two members of the panel of mediators.

The court had earlier in March directed the panel to submit a progress report within four weeks. It had also ordered for holding the mediation proceedings "in-camera".

The panel was told to complete its process within eight weeks.

The court had then said the period of mediation would be used to ensure the voluminous documents related to 2010 appeals against the Allahabad High Court judgement were to be prepared for hearing.

On Friday, the Muslims side pointed out certain errors in the translation of the documents, which the court allowed them to cite for correction.