SC to hear Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case on Jan 4

The Supreme Court will take up on January 4 the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case along with public interest litigation (PIL) questioning delay in the adjudication of the matter.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi will decide on "fixing the date of hearing before the appropriate bench".

In October, Justice Gogoi had said an appropriate bench will decide the future course of hearing in January next year.

On November 12, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea seeking an early hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit.

Meanwhile, an advocate, Harinath Ram, filed a PIL in the top court, requesting it to hear the matter on an urgent basis and in a time-bound manner.

The petitioner stated that the apex court should understand the sentiments of millions of Hindus in India, as their emotions are "inextricably attached to the identity of Lord Ram."

The advocate further stated that the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid matter has been pending for the last several decades, but has not seen the light of the day "even when the country boasts of having functional and effective justice delivery system."

In 2010, the Allahabad High Court had divided the disputed land in Ayodhya into three parts for each of the parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.