Mediation in Ayodhya dispute case fails, SC to begin daily hearing from August 6

NEW DELHI: A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court Friday said that it will begin hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute from Tuesday, August 6. Mediation process by the three-member panel in the Ayodhya dispute case has failed, added the top court.

“Case will be heard on day to day basis till arguments are complete,” said Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who's heading the bench. The other members of the bench are Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer.

A decision on the matter is likely to be delivered by November 17, about 100 days from the date of first hearing.

The top court further asked parties appearing in the suits to remain prepared with the pleadings and evidence and give an advance copy to Registry which shall keep the matter ready before the hearing begins.

The Supreme Court on March 8 appointed the three-member panel, led by former SC judge FM Kalifulla, to talk to all stakeholders and try to reach a consensus to resolve the Ayodhya row. Recommending mediation, the court had said it was looking for "a possibility of healing relationships". The other two members of the panel are spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu.

The mediation panel submitted its report on Thursday in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court.

Fourteen appeals are currently pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.