NEW DELHI: In a new twist to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, a three-member mediation panel claimed to have broken new ground, saying an important section of the litigating parties had agreed on some contentious issues, including giving up rights on the disputed land.
In its report to the Supreme Court, the panel headed by former Supreme Court judge F M I Kalifullah, which includes senior advocate Sriram Panchu and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar, said one of the primary Muslim litigants in the title case was willing to drop its claim on the disputed 2.77 acre land if adequate alternative land is given for the construction of a mosque in the vicinity at state expenditure, according to sources.
That apart, the Muslim party demanded renovation of 22 existing mosques in Ayodhya, the sources added. Also, they wanted the government to allow devotees to offer prayers at some historic mosques where no such activity is permitted because the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) has declared them to be protected monuments.
According to sources, bundled into the proposal was another demand by the Muslim party for the implementation of the Religious Places Act, 1991, which mandates maintaining status quo of other religious places as they existed in 1947.
The Hindu parties, including the VHP-backed Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and the Ram Lalla deity, refused to be part the mediation, the sources said.
The mediation process restarted last month on the request of the Sunni Wakf Board after the panel had earlier expressed its inability to resolve the dispute. The panel’s report is expected to be discussed on Thursday by all the five judges of the Constitution bench — Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer — in their chambers.
While the bench reserved its verdict, it can still go ahead and adjudicate on the issue and mention the details of the report in its judgment. The verdict is likely to be delivered on or before Nov 15, Gogoi’s last working day before he retires on Nov 17.