Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid title dispute: SC to pronounce verdict today on whether to refer Ayodhya case for mediation

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce order on Friday on whether to refer Ayodhya’s Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for mediation for amicable settlement. [caption id=“attachment_4245003” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] A five-judge Supreme Court Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday had reserved the order after hearing various contesting parties. Hindu bodies except Nirmohi Akhara have opposed the suggestion of the apex court to refer the issue for mediation, while Muslim bodies have supported it. On Wednesday, after the top court asked the contesting parties in title dispute case to suggest the name of a mediator or panel of mediators, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (ABHP) suggested three names for mediators— former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, former CJI Jagdish Singh Khehar and former SC Judge AK Patnaik. After the hearing, Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer of Hindu Mahasabha, said, “The Supreme Court reserved the order on mediation. The Hindu Mahasabha has taken a clear stand on that mediation cannot happen since it is Lord Ram’s land and public notice has to be issued. While (advocate) Rajeev Dhavan and Nirmohi Akhada agreed on mediation, other Hindu parties, including Hindu Mahasabha and Ram Lalla Virajmaan, clearly stated that mediation should not be attempted.”