#AyodhyaCase : Going Down Memory Lane Of The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Land Dispute Case

A five member judge bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi heard the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh for 40 days in the Supreme Court .

Here is the chronology of the events over the years :

1528:

Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander of Mughal emperor Babur.

1885:

Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure. Court rejects the plea.

1949:

Idols of Ram Lalla placed under central dome outside the disputed structure.

1950:

Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad district court for rights to worship the idols of Ram Lalla.

Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols.

1959:

Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site.

1981:

UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site.

February 1, 1986:

Local court orders the government to open the site for Hindu worshippers.

August 14, 1989:

Allahabad HC orders maintenance of status quo in respect of the disputed structure.

 

December 6, 1992:

Babri Masjid demolished.

April 3, 1993:

‘Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act’ passed for acquiring land by Centre in the disputed area.

Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Faruqui, filed in Allahabad HC challenging various aspects of the Act.

SC exercising its jurisdiction under Article 139A transferred the writ petitions, which were pending in the High Court.

October 24, 1994:

SC says in historic Ismail Faruqui case mosque was not integral to Islam.

April, 2002:

HC begins hearing on determining who owns the disputed site.

March 13, 2003:

SC says, in the Aslam alias Bhure case, no religious activity of any nature be allowed at the acquired land.

September 30, 2010:

HC, in a 2:1 majority, rules three-way division of disputed area between Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

May 9, 2011:

SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute.

March 21, 2017:

CJI JS Khehar suggests out-of-court settlement among rival parties.

August 7, 2017:

SC constitutes three-judge bench to hear pleas challenging 1994 verdict of the Allahabad HC.

February 8, 2018:

SC starts hearing the civil appeals.

July 20, 2018:

SC reserves verdict.

September 27, 2018:

SC declines to refer the case to a five-judge Constitution bench. Case to be heard by a newly constituted three-judge bench on October 29.

October 29, 2018:

SC fixes the case for the first week of January before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.

December 24, 2018:

SC decides to take up petitions on case for hearing on January 4, 2019.

January 4, 2019:

SC says an appropriate bench constituted by it will pass an order on January 10 for fixing the date of hearing in the title case.

January 8, 2019:

SC sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the case headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, UU Lalit and DY Chandrachud.

January 10, 2019:

Justice UU Lalit recuses himself prompting SC to reschedule the hearing for January 29 before a new bench.

January 25, 2019:

SC reconstitutes 5-member Constitution Bench to hear the case. The new bench comprises Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer.

January 29, 2019:

Centre moves SC seeking permission to return the 67-acre acquired land around the disputed site to original owners.

February 26, 2019:

SC favours mediation, fixes March 5 for order on whether to refer matter to court-appointed mediator.

March 8, 2019:

SC refers the dispute for mediation by a panel headed by former apex court judge FMI Kallifulla.

April 9, 2019:

Nirmohi Akhara opposes in SC Centre’s plea to return acquired land around Ayodhya site to owners.

May 9, 2019:

3-member mediation committee submits interim report in SC.

May 10, 2019:

SC extends time till August 15 to complete mediation process.

July 11, 2019:

SC seeks report on “progress of mediation”.

July 18, 2019:

SC allows mediation process to continue, seeks outcome report by August 1.

August 1, 2019:

Report of mediation submitted in sealed cover to SC.

August 2, 2019:

SC decides to conduct day-to day hearing from August 6 as mediation fails.

August 6, 2019:

SC commences day-to-day hearing on the land dispute.

October 4, 2019:

SC says it will wrap up hearing on October 17, judgment by November 17.

SC directs UP government to provide security to state Waqf Board Chairperson.

October 16, 2019:

SC concludes hearing; reserves order.

It was widely expected that the verdict would come before the current CJI Ranjan Gogoi retires on November 17, 2019.