Ayodhya verdict on Sept 24, HC rejects postponement plea

LUCKNOW: The judgement in the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute will be delivered on Sept 24 with the Allahabad High Court on Friday rejecting a petition for mediation on the ground it was aimed at "creating obstruction" in the final disposal of the matter.

Rejecting the petition by defendant Ramesh Chandra Tripathi, a three-judge bench of the of the court comprising Justices S U Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D V Sharma also imposed "exemplary costs" of Rs 50,000 terming his effort for an out-of-court settlement as a "mischievous attempt".

Allaying apprehensions of the possible violence in the wake of next week's judgement in the 60-year-old case, Lucknow bench of the Court observed that "arrangement of security is the responsibility of the State".

"We have read in the newspapers that the Prime Minister of the country has assured the people that the government is capable of meeting any contingency.

"We cannot comment but repose confidence in the government since they are the best judge of what required to maintaining law and order and/or security of any individual of group of such individuals, as the case may be, shall be taken care of," it said.