8 Sep : The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court will pronounce its judgement on the 60- year-old Ayodhya title suits on 24th September.
The date for pronouncement of the judgement reserved by a special full bench comprising Justices S.U Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D.V Sharma on 26th July, was conveyed to the counsels appearing in the four title suits relating to the disputed site at Ayodhya.
The court will be addressing three issues.
One, whether there was a temple at the disputed site, prior to 1538.
Two, whether the suit filed by the Babri committee in 1961 is barred by limitation.
And third, whether Muslims perfected their title through adverse possession.
The first title suit was filed in 1950 by Gopal Singh Visharad, seeking an injunction for permitting ‘pooja’ (worship) of Lord Ram at the disputed site.
The second suit was filed by Paramhans Tamchandra Das also in 1950 seeking the same injunction but this was later withdrawn.
The third suit was filed in 1959 by Nirmohi Akhara, seeking direction to hand over the charge of the disputed site from the receiver.
The fourth suit was filed in the 1961 by UP Sunni Central Board of Waqfs for declaration and possession of the site.
The fifth suit was moved on 1st July, 1989 in the name of Bhagwan Shree Ram Lalla Virajman also for declaration and possession.
With one of these suits having been withdrawn, four title suits remained pending in the Faizabad civil court and in 1989, on an application moved by then then Advocate General of UP, these suits were transferred to the High Court.
Both the Centre and the Mayawati Government have been worried over the political fallout and the possibility of communal tensions erupting in the wake of the court verdict.
Deployment of additional paramilitary forces in UP as also in the communally sensitive areas in other parts of the country is being considered.
The Congress core committee had met in Lucknow last Friday to discuss a contingency plan and had taken stock of various scenarios that may follow the crucial judgement.
Meanwhile, the Mayawati government has asked the Centre for 63,000 additional paramilitary personnel to deal with any law and order problems that may arise after the court verdict on Ayodhya title suits.
The BSP government has requested the Home Ministry to make available central forces before the verdict day to strengthen security and thwart any attempt to disturb peace.
The Home Ministry has already prepared a contingency plan to deal with any situation arising out of the Allahabad High Court judgement.
In an advisory, the Home Ministry has asked all states and Union Territories to give maintaining law and order “top most priority” as the judgement has the potential to “evoke sharp reactions”.
In its communication, the Ministry also informed states and UT’s of the activities of various religious groups which have already announced a countrywide mass mobilisation and awareness campaign in view of the forthcoming court verdict.
Maintaining that the court verdict “is likely to evoke sharp reactions and communal passions among both Hindus and Muslims depending on the way the judgement goes”, the Ministry has asked states and UT’s to keep a close watch on activities of religious bodies of both the communities in the run-up to the judgement.
The Home Ministry has asked paramilitary forces, including CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF), to be ready with reinforcements as and when needed by states for deployment in sensitive areas prior to the verdict.