Lawyers told DNA that translating the documents was a mammoth task that took several months to complete and, in some cases, is still incomplete.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday started hearing the 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in the civil suits in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi Temple dispute. However, even as the top court began hearing the pleas, legal teams were still on their toes, literally burning the proverbial midnight oil in order to complete the translations of all the evidence and testimonies.
Several documents — 533 exhibits, which include texts, scripts, palimpsests and records dating back to several centuries, in various languages like Pali, Sanskrit, Arabic, Gurmukhi, Persian, among others and running into more than 9,000 pages – have to be translated and submitted in court. Also, the oral testimonies given during the hearings before the Allahabad High Court were mainly in Hindi and would also require to be translated. In the Supreme Court, English is the only language that is accepted.
Lawyers told DNA that translating the documents was a mammoth task that took several months to complete and, in some cases, is still incomplete. The main reason for the delay, as one layer associated with the job put it, was that "the documents before us are challenging".
In some cases, time has also taken a toll on the records. Some of the original court documents dating back to the first trial in the 1950s are illegible while the ink has faded in some cases. Torn and crumbled paper is another problem faced by the translators.
At a previous hearing, the Supreme Court bench had directed all parties to submit English translations of the documents they were planning to rely upon. This, lawyers say, could also create some confusion since the translations are being done be different experts from across the country.
While the pro-Ram Mandir groups have got parts of the Baburnama — a document that may eventually be relied upon by all the parties, translated, the Babri Masjid legal team is trying to source the official English translation of the book instead.
All sides will present evidence, oral testimonies and documents running in to thousands of pages to make their case.
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