The Supreme Court on Friday granted an extension to the mediation committee, appointed to settle the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya title dispute case, to complete the process till August 15. The five-judge constitution bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice SA Bobde, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer observed that the Chairman of the committee, Justice FMI Kalifulla had indicated progress in mediation so far and sought an extension of time to complete the task.
“We are inclined to allow the same,” CJI Ranjan Gogoi said before passing the order. The court also said that the members of the committee were not experiencing any difficulty in the mediation process.
The court refused to divulge the details on the mediation efforts.
"We will not tell you the progress made, that is confidential," replied the court to a counsel's query regarding the mediation. The court observed that the mediation process can be also extended if required. The court's observation came after a report was submitted on the mediation efforts.
In March earlier this year, the Supreme Court had ordered mediation to settle the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya title dispute case and had appointed a three-member panel for the same, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice FMI Kalifulla and comprising of Art of Living founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Shriram Panchu as its members. The panel was constituted after the court noted "the lack of consensus between the parties in the matter".
Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the panel to conduct in-camera proceedings and complete the mediation within eight weeks. The court had recommended this on February 26, when it took up appeals regarding the dispute. The court said it could only decide on a property and what it was looking at was "a possibility of healing relationships".
The five-judge Constitution bench had barred both the print and visual media from reporting on the mediation proceedings. It also barred those participating in the proceedings from speaking to the media.
While Muslim petitioners have welcomed the Court's decision on mediation, Hindu bodies, except for the Nirmohi Akhara and the Uttar Pradesh government, were not in favour.
The apex court is hearing appeals against the September 30, 2010 verdict of the Allahabad High Court. The verdict ordered a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres site between the Nirmohi Akhara sect, the Sunni Central Wakf Board, Uttar Pradesh and the deity Ramlalla Virajman.
(With IANS inputs)