Section 144 Imposed in Ayodhya till Dec 10

The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC across Ayodhya district till December 10 keeping in mind the safety and security of the people, upcoming festivals and the court verdict as the protracted hearing in the politically sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land resumes proceedings on the 38^th day after a week-long Dussehra break.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, which started the day-to-day proceedings on August 6 after mediation proceedings failed to find an amicable solution to the vexatious dispute, has revised the deadline for wrapping up the proceedings and has fixed it for October 17.

It may be mentioned that 14 appeals have been filed in the courtagainst the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, which was delivered in fourcivil suits, that the 2.77 acre of land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally amongthe three parties- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

The bench also comprises of Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud,Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer earlier, who said that it would wrap up the hearingby October 17, a day sooner than the earlier scheduled.

The bench, fixing the schedule for the final leg of the lengthy arguments said that the Muslim side would complete the arguments on October 14 and thereafter, two days would be granted to the Hindu parties, to sum up their rejoinders by October 16.

However, October 17 would be the last day for wrapping up thehearing when the parties will have to make the final arguments about the reliefthey are seeking, said the court.

The court also said that October 17 would be the last day forwrapping up the hearing when the parties will have to make the final argumentsabout the relief they are seeking. The bench had earlier fixed the deadline ofOctober 18 to conclude the hearing.