Nirmohi Akhara moves SC against Centre's plea to release excess land acquired in Ayodhya

Nirmohi Akhara, one of the parties in the Ayodhya title dispute case, has filed an application in the Supreme Court, opposing the Centre's plea to return to the original owners excess land acquired around the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site.

"The government cannot get back the land to give it to who they want. Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas cannot be given a majority of the land," a lawyer for Nirmohi Akhara, who filed the application on Monday, said.

The acquisition of the land by the government had led to the destruction of several temples managed by the Akhara, he said.

The Akhara has pleaded to the court to decide the title dispute, the lawyer said.

The central government had in January this year filed a petition seeking modification of the court's 2003 order to allow it to return the "excess/superfluous land" out of the 67.703 acres acquired in Ayodhya to its original owners including Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.

The government had been directed by the court to maintain "status quo" with regard to entire land including the non-disputed acquired areas.