In a much-awaited directive, the Supreme Court of India on Friday referred the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for a court-appointed and monitored mediation in order to seek a permanent solution to the issue. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi passed the order of mediation in the Ayodhya title suit. As per reports, the apex court has asked to start the mediation within a week at Faizabad and Uttar Pradesh government will have to make arrangements for the same.
“Mediation will take place. We don’t see any legal obstruction to it,” said Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi while delivering the order. “Mediation proceedings will remain confidential. There would be no reporting in any media,” he added.
The mediation panel has to give its report within four weeks. The top court has appointed a three-member mediation panel headed by Justice FM Khalifulah, the retired Supreme Court judge. The mediation will be at liberty to induct more mediators or seek legal assistance. Art of Living head Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu are the other mediators on the panel.
Fourteen appeals were filed in the top court against an Allahabad High Court judgment of 2010, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77 acres in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
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