Ayodhya case: Final hearing to begin on Feb 8

NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court will commence on February 8, 2018 its hearing on a batch of petitions challenging a 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid title dispute. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ashok Bhushan and S A Najeeb also asked the Advocates on Record of appeals to sit together and ensure that all the requisite documents are translated, filed and numbered before the apex court Registry. In case of any problem, the counsel were directed to consult the Registry. The bench took serious note of the submission of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the parties, that the appeals be heard in July 2019 after completion of the next Lok Sabha polls as the atmosphere at present was not conducive. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, vehemently opposed contentions that the pleadings were not complete and asserted that everything has been complied with and the cases were ripe for hearing. A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had ordered that the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the deity, Ram Lalla. Ram temple will be built even if SC ruling not in our favour: Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Giving a strong statement about the construction of the Ram temple, Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on Tuesday said that, in case, if the order of Supreme court is not pronounced in their favour, the temple will still be built via Parliament in Modi Narendra and Yogi Adityanath government. "If the temple isn't built during Modi, Yogi government then when it will be built," said Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. "Entire population wants construction of Ram temple and I believe that court will also pronounce the same judgement," he said and added that "Entire land belongs to Lord Ram." If the decision isn't declared in their favour then the temple will be constructed with the help of Parliament via majority support of the government, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das stressed. Interestingly, the Supreme Court commenced the final hearing on the long-standing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute from Tuesday, a day before the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the medieval-era structure. A specially constituted bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer are hearing a total of 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgment of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits. (With inputs from PTI)