Centre seeks SC nod to return land around disputed Ayodhya site to original owners

The Centre told court that 67-acre-land was acquired after the demolition of the Babri in 1992 out of which only 2.7 acre is disputed.

NEW DELHI: The Central government on Tuesday moved Supreme Court seeking permission for the release of excess vacant land acquired around the disputed Ayodhya site. The Centre has urged that the surplus land be handed over to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, a trust formed to promote and oversee the construction of a temple in Ayodhya. 

The Centre told the court that 67-acre-land was acquired after the demolition of the Babri in 1992 out of which only 2.7 acre is disputed and thus the remaining land should be returned to the original owners - Ram Janambhoomi Nyas.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Narendra Modi government is facing heat for not having fulfilled its promise of constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya. 

The apex court had earlier said that status quo be maintained with regard to the acquired 67 acre of land around the disputed site. Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

Meanwhile, the hearing in the Ayodhya title dispute case was scheduled for Tuesday but had to be deferred due to non-availability of Justice SA Bobde who is one of the five judges of the Constitution bench.