Babri Masjid demolition anniversary: Union Home Ministry advises states to keep vigil

The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed the next hearing for the long-standing Ayodhya dispute matter for February 8, 2018.

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has issued an advisory to all states ahead of the 25th anniversary of Babri Masjid structure demolition, which falls on December 6, to take steps to maintain harmony.

A Home Ministry official said on Tuesday that the advisory was issued on Friday to all the chief secretaries and director generals of police of all states and the Lt Governors of all union territories.

The advisory said that there could be a demonstration by both communities on Wednesday and it was advisable that the administration kept "utmost vigil" and took "all precautionary measures", IANS reported.

The advisory is as per the guidelines formulated in 2008.

Meanwhile, the apex court will commence on February 8, 2018, its hearing on a batch of petitions challenging a 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ayodhya title suit that had divided the disputed Babri Masjid site between the Nirmohi Akhara, Lord Ram deity and the Sunni Waqf board.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer directed that all the advocates on record will work in harmony and ensure that all documents are filed, if not already filed.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing the Sunni Waqf Board, read out in the apex court the details of exhibits filed by the contesting defendants before the Allahabad High Court.

Sibal told the three-judge bench of the court that all the exhibits were not filed before this court.Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh rebutted the averments of Kapil Sibal, as per ANI.

The ASG also told the SC that all the related documents and requisite translation copies were on record.

Sibal raised the doubts over the assertions of ASG Mehta and told the SC that "he and other petitioners have not been served relevant documents of pleadings."

He also told the top court that whenever this matter is heard, there are serious repercussions outside the court and to preserve the decorum of law and order and that he personally requests the court to take this matter up on July 15, 2019, once all the pleadings are complete.

Petitioners are pleaded in the SC for a reasonable time to translate, file and serve the copies of all the exhibits and relevant documents, which were filed before the Allahabad High Court bench at Lucknow.

(With Agency inputs)