“Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid” case to be heard at the earliest: SC

New Delhi/July,21: Supreme Court on Friday said it will take a decision on early hearing of a batch of petitions including cross appeals in the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid land dispute case. The SC bench said this when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who is one of the petitioners, mentioned the matter for urgent listing and hearing. “We will take a decision on it,” a media report splashed by a Delhi based online news web portal quoted the bench, comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, as saying.

Based on the chargesheet filed by the CBI on October 8, 1993, the special CBI court on May 31 charged BJP leaders, L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and others with criminal conspiracy. According to the 54-page chargesheet, the above mentioned BJP leaders allegedly expressed their intention of constructing a temple publicly by way of political speeches over a highly disputed land since the 1950s.

The apex court on April 19 had restored the conspiracy charges against the BJP leaders which were dropped by a trial court in 2001 and directed to conclude the case within two years. The verdict of the same was upheld in the Allahabad High Court in 2010.

After reopening the matter, all were granted bail by the CBI special judge SK Yadav on a personal bond of Rs. 50,000 and were charged with criminal conspiracy thereafter.

In February 2013 Supreme Court reiterated to maintain a status quo on the 67.703-acre disputed property put in 2011 by the apex court on the “strange” judgment passed by the Allahabad High Court in 2010. Dividing the 67.703-acre disputed land into three parts among the Hindus, the Muslims and the Nirmohi Akhara, an organised group of sadhus, the Allahabad High Court’s judgment was overruled by the Supreme Court in 2011.

Following the direction to maintain a status quo in 2011, the Supreme Court further directed that the disputed land shall not observe any religious activities except “pujas” at the makeshift Ram Lala temple.

Restoring the case, the apex court directed no fresh trial to take place and directed the Lucknow bench to hear the case on an everyday basis. To avoid any delay in the matter, CBI had been directed to bring in witnesses everyday for speedy trial. Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh will enjoy constitutional immunity till his term as a governor ends.