Ayodhya land dispute: Chronology of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case
The following is the chronology of events in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in Ayodhya in which the Supreme Court Friday decided to hold day-to-day hearing from August 6 as resolution of dispute through mediation failed.
The Supreme Court on Friday announced that the mediation proceedings on resolving the Ayodhya dispute have failed and no amicable solution was found and as a result, the apex court will begin day-to-day hearings from August 6.
The following is the chronology of events in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in Ayodhya:
- 1528: Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander of Mughal emperor Babur.
- 1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure. Court rejects the plea.
- 1949: Idols of Ram Lalla placed under a central dome outside the disputed structure.
- 1950: Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad district court for rights to worship the idols of Ram Lalla.
- Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols.
- 1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site.
- 1981: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site.
- Feb 1, 1986: Local court orders the government to open the site for Hindu worshippers.
- Aug 14, 1989: Allahabad HC ordered maintenance of status quo in respect of the disputed structure.
- Dec 6, 1992: Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure demolished.
- Apr 3, 1993: 'Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act' passed for acquiring land by Centre in the disputed area.
- Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Faruqui, filed in Allahabad HC challenging various aspects of the Act.
- SC exercising its jurisdiction under Article 139A transferred the writ petitions, which were pending in the High Court.
- Oct 24, 1994: SC says in the historic Ismail Faruqui case that mosque was not integral to Islam.
- Apr, 2002: HC begins hearing on determining who owns the disputed site.
- Mar 13, 2003: SC says, in the Aslam alias Bhure case, no religious activity of any nature be allowed at the acquired land.
- Sep 30, 2010: HC, in a 2:1 majority, rules three-way division of disputed area between Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
- May 9, 2011: SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute.
- Mar 21, 2017: CJI JS Khehar suggests out-of-court settlement among rival parties.
- Aug 7: SC constitutes three-judge bench to hear pleas challenging 1994 verdict of the Allahabad HC.
- Feb 8, 2018: SC starts hearing the civil appeals.
- Jul 20: SC reserves verdict.
- Sep 27: SC declines to refer the case to a five-judge Constitution bench. Case to be heard by a newly constituted three-judge bench on October 29.
- Oct 29: SC fixes the case for the first week of January before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.
- Dec 24: SC decides to take up petitions on case for hearing on January 4, 2019.
- Jan 4, 2019: SC says an appropriate bench constituted by it will pass an order on January 10 for fixing the date of hearing in the title case.
- Jan 8: SC sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the case headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud.
- Jan 10: Justice U U Lalit recuses himself prompting SC to reschedule the hearing for January 29 before a new bench.
- Jan 25: SC reconstitutes 5-member Constitution Bench to hear the case. The new bench comprises Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.
- Jan 29: Centre moves SC seeking permission to return the 67-acre acquired land around the disputed site to original owners.
- Feb 26: SC favours mediation, fixes Mar 5 for order on whether to refer matter to court-appointed mediator.
- Mar 8: SC refers the dispute for mediation by a panel headed by former apex court judge F M I Kallifulla.
- Apr 9: Nirmohi Akhara opposes in SC Centre's plea to return acquired land around Ayodhya site to owners.
- May 9: 3-member mediation committee submits interim report in SC.
- May 10: SC extends time till Aug 15 to complete mediation process.
-Jul 11: SC seeks report on "progress of mediation".
- Jul 15: Special Judge seeks 6 more months from SC to conclude trial involving L K Advani, M M Joshi, Uma Bharti and others.
- Jul 18: SC allows mediation process to continue, seeks outcome report by Aug 1.
- Jul 19: SC asks Special judge to deliver verdict in 9 months.
-Aug 1: Report of mediation submitted in sealed cover to SC.
- Aug 2: SC decides to conduct day-to day hearing from Aug 6 as mediation fails.
(With inputs from PTI)