Ayodhya Verdict: What Supreme Court said in the judgment - 10 points

In a historic decision, the Supreme Court on Saturday unanimously ruled that the disputed 2.77 acre land in Ayodhya will go to Hindus while Muslims will be given a five-acre plot at an alternate location in the city for construction of the mosque.

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi had finished the hearing in the long-standing dispute on October 16. Other judges of the bench are Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan, and SW Abdul Nazeer.

Here are the 10 points that the court noted while delivering the verdict:

1. The Babri Masjid was not built on vacant land.

2. Archeological Survey of India (ASI) findings can't be disputed as it is an expert authority.

3. Law is committed to protecting all faiths.

4. The claim of Nirmohi Akhara is only of management. The Akhara is not a Shabait.

5. Muslims failed to prove that the site was under their possession before Babri Masjid was constructed.

6. Sunni Waqf Board shifted its stand after hearing to the ASI’s findings.

7. There has been extensive nature of worship by Hindus in the outer courtyard.

8. There was no abandonment of the site by Muslims and there was no cessation of Namaz.

9. A suitable plot of 5 acres must be granted to Sunni Waqf Board to set up a Mosque.

10. The disputed land at Ayodhya must be given to a Board of Trustees for the construction of Ram Mandir. Centre directed to formulate a scheme within three months.

The top court said the decision was taken as per law and not on the basis of the faith and belief. 

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi had finished the hearing in the long-standing dispute on October 16. Other judges of the bench are Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and SW Abdul Nazeer. 

The five-judge bench was hearing appeals challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict, which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre of disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Ram Lalla.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appealed for calm ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya, saying that whatever judgment the country's top court gives will not be anyone's victory or loss.