The Supreme Court will deliver its much-awaited verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute on Saturday. The five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court has been hearing the case on a day-to-day basis.
A notice by the Supreme Court registrar said, “Take notice that the matter above mentioned will be listed tomorrow i.e. 09.11.2019 (Saturday) at 10.30 AM for pronouncement of judgment in Chief Justice’s Court before the Bench comprising Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Hon’ble SA Bobde, Hon’ble Dr. DY Chandrachud, Hon’ble Ashok Bhushan, Hon’ble S Abdul Nazeer.”
All schools, colleges, educational institutions and training centres to remain closed in Uttar Pradesh from 9 November to 11 November, reported news agency ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Whatever the verdict be from the Supreme Court on Ayodhya, it will not be victory or defeat for anyone. I appeal to my countrymen that our priority should to ensure that this verdict strengthens the great tradition of India’s peace, unity and compassion.”
Meanwhile, ANI reported that Section 144 (prohibits an assembly of more than 4 people in an area) had been imposed in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao too was quoted as saying, “We’ve made necessary deployments. Sec 144 CrPC (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area)imposed in Bangalore from 7 am-12 midnight. Social media will be strictly monitored. Liquor shops will remain closed tomorrow.”
All private and government schools in Madhya Pradesh too will remain closed tomorrow.
After hearing the case for 39 days, the top court had concluded its hearing on 16 October.
The current dispute is over the 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid existed until 6 December 1992, when Hindu fanatics led by BJP leaders brought down the 16th-century heritage site. This had led to countrywide violence and the killing of hundreds of people, mostly Muslims.
The BJP has always made this an electoral issue and the party desperately wanted to exploit Hindu sentiments in this year’s Lok Sabha polls. However, the Supreme Court’s decision to go down the mediation route appears to have put paid to the saffron party’s electoral plans.
The Court had formed a mediation panel headed by former Supreme Court judge KMI Kalifulla, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu. But, the panel failed to resolve the dispute amicably.
