Ayodhya case: SC seeks status report on mediation meetings in a week

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the latest status report with regard to the ongoing mediation proceedings in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya land dispute case within a week.
A five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, requested former apex court judge Justice (Retd) F M I Kalifulla, chairperson of the three-member mediation panel, to submit the report by July 18 and said the court would pass further orders on the same date.

On that day if the Committee informs the Court that mediation must close as nothing is working out,  the court will fix the case for hearing on July 25. It is not clear as of now whether it will be a day to day hearing.

The Hindu side was unanimous in seeking hearing of the matter to resume claiming that mediation cannot settle the matter. However,  the Muslim side appeared satisfied with the mediation and claimed that the application moved by a Hindu plaintiff in a suit was aimed to intimidate them.

In this scenario, the Court felt it appropriate to ask the Committee of Mediators itself as on May 10 the Court had given time to the Committee to present its final report by August 15.The order was passed by a five judge bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SA Bobde,  DY Chandrachud,  Ashok Bhushan,  S Abdul Nazeer.

With agency inputs