5-judge Ayodhya Bench meets in chambers ahead of November 17 deadline

NEW DELHI: The Constitution Bench which wrapped up the Ayodhya case hearing on Wednesday, met in the chambers a day later. CJI Ranjan Gogoi, who heads the 5-judge bench, demits office on November 17 and the verdict has to be delivered before this date.

If a judgement is not delivered before November 17, the case will have to be reheard by a new bench. That’s an eventuality that the bench will want to avoid. Parties to the case have been asked to make their submissions on how to mould relief measures within three days to the court.

In 2010, the Allahabad High court had divided the land between the warring parties in a manner that the Hindus got two-thirds of the disputed 2.77 acre and the Muslims the remaining portion. The deity got the area under the dome of the now demolished Babri masjid, otherwise known as the inner courtyard. While the Akhara got the area where the Ram Chabutra and the Sita Rasoi once stood.


The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board, on the other hand, after all adjustments for entry and exit into each other’s respective areas were made, was to receive any extra land needed for rebuilding a mosque from the 67 acre acquired in and around the structure by the central government.

Chief Justice of India Gogoi had hinted at the immensity of the task ahead when he urged all parties in the case to wrap up their arguments by Oct 18. He subsequently reduced the time frame to Oct 16. “A judgement in a month will be a miracle,” he had then quipped.

The hearing itself lasted 40 days, one of the longest court cases ever, given the sensibilities involved and the political implications of the case.

Lawyers said the bench would possibly be working out the way ahead for a judgement to be delivered by November 17.

Each judge writes his judgement separately and independently. Drafts are usually circulated at the end so that each knows what the other has written. Given that the high court ruling ran into thousands of pages, SC has its task cut out.