Ayodhya dispute: Supreme Court rules against immediate constitution of larger bench to hear case

In the Ayodhya dispute , the Supreme Court on Friday declined a plea by the Sunni Waqf Board and other Muslim petitioners to immediately refer the case to a larger bench. According to CNN-News18, the court said that it will first hear arguments on behalf of all the litigants in the matter, including the Sunni Waqf Board and the Uttar Pradesh state government, and then come to a decision on whether to refer the case to a larger bench. [caption id=“attachment_4419397” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Supreme Court. Reuters[/caption] The special bench of the apex court is seized of a total of 14 appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court judgment delivered in four civil suits. A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had in 2010 ordered that the land be partitioned equally among three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. On 14 March, the bench had said it would first decide whether the land dispute appeals should be sent to a five-judge constitution bench as sought by lead petitioner M Siddiq (since deceased), who is represented by legal heirs in the case. The Supreme Court has fixed 27 April as the next date of hearing in the matter, ANI reported. With inputs from PTI