Nirmohi Akhara files application in SC opposing Centre’s request to release excess land acquired in Ayodhya

Nirmohi Akhara on Tuesday filed an application in the Supreme Court opposing Centre’s request to release excess land acquired in Ayodhya.

In its application, Nirmohi Akhara, which is one of the parties in Ayodhya title dispute case, has told the apex court that the central government cannot get back the land now to give it to who they want.

Nirmohi Akhara also said that majority of land should not be given to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, adding that acquisition of land by the government had led to the destruction of many temples managed by the Akhara and SC must decide title dispute.

Nirmohi Akhara files an application in the Supreme Court opposing Centre’s request to release excess land acquired in Ayodhya. Akhara says acquisition of land by the government had led to destruction of many temples managed by the Akhara. So it wants Court to decide title dispute

— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2019

In January, the Centre had filed a plea in the SC seeking permission for the release of excess vacant land acquired around the disputed Ayodhya site. In its plea, the Centre has urged the top court to pass an order 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. 

According to the Centre, the 67-acre-land was acquired in 1992 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid and since only 2.7 acre is disputed so the remaining land should be returned to the original owners - Ram Janambhoomi Nyas.

It is to be noted that the SC had earlier said that status quo be maintained with regard to the acquired 67 acre of land around the disputed site. A total of fourteen peititions were filed in the SC against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the disputed land should be divided equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

In March, the SC had ordered a court-appointed and monitored mediation to resolve the long-pending Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. 

The apex court had said that the three-member mediation panel will be headed by former Supreme Court judge FM Kalifullah, with spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and, lawyer and mediation expert Sriram Panchu as other members.

The order was passed by a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. The bench also comprises justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.