Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case: No progress made in mediation, claims plaintiff Gopal Singh Visharad

One of the plaintiffs in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking an early hearing in the matter, asserting that no progress has been made in the mediation ordered by the apex court to settle the issue.

A three-judge bench headed by Ranjan Gogoi, while agreeing to look into the matter, asked the plaintiff, Gopal Singh Visharad, to file the necessary application to this effect.

The plaintiff submitted that no progress had been made in the case in spite of the fact that the first round of mediation has finished.

The top court had, on March 8, constituted a three-member committee, chaired by Justice Kalifulla, for exploring possibilities of an amicable settlement to the land dispute.

The panel also comprised Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior Madras High Court advocate Sriram Panchu.

The court had expressed the view that the proceedings must be conducted with "utmost confidentiality" to ensure its success. The apex court had said mediation proceedings would be held in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh and that the state government will provide the mediators with all facilities.

It had said the mediators will be at liberty to co-opt other members of the panel if needed and seek further legal assistance as and when required. The mediation process must be completed in eight weeks, the court had said.

On May 10 this year, the court had extended till August 15 the tenure of the court-appointed mediation panel to find an amicable solution in the Ayodhya land dispute case.