- Complete hearing by Oct 18: SC
- Verdict likely by November 17
New Delhi: The possibility of a verdict in the protracted Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case by mid-November brightened up on Wednesday with the Supreme Court virtually fixing the deadline of October 18 for completion of arguments in the Ayodhya case.
The Ayodhya Bench in the Supreme Court is headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who retires on November 17. If the judgment is not delivered before his retirement, the entire matter may have to be heard afresh.
After consulting counsels from both the sides, the CJI said he hoped the arguments could conclude by October 18.
“Let us make efforts to complete it by October 18. If necessary, we are ready to sit on Saturdays and some extra hours on weekdays to complete it,” he added.
On Tuesday, the five-judge Constitution Bench had sought to know from all parties in the case about a tentative time-frame for completing their arguments.
Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing the Muslim side, said they would complete the arguments by the end of next week and will then take a day or two to argue their own civil suit.
From the Hindu side, Ram Lalla Virajman’s lawyers said they will take two days while other parties said a couple of days more should be enough to complete their arguments.
Subsequently, judges on the Bench had a brief internal discussion to arrive at the deadline of October 18.
Referring to a letter sent by the mediation panel to the Bench, the apex court said the parties concerned are free to resort to settlement, which, if it comes about, can be placed before it.
