Ayodhya: SC to pass order on Mar 5 on whether to refer matter to court-appointed mediator

The Supreme Court Tuesday suggested mediation in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, saying it was considering the possibility of "healing relations".

The court said it will pass an order on March 5 on whether to refer it to a court-appointed mediator.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that even if one per cent chance of mediation exists in the politically sensitive land dispute matter, it should be done.

The bench also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer asked the registry to provide translated copies of all documents within six weeks and said the main matter would be taken up for hearing after eight weeks.

It also directed the parties to examine translated copies and raise objections, if any, within eight weeks.

The apex court said it wanted to explore the possibility of mediation to utilise the period of eight weeks after which the matter would be heard.

While some Muslim parties said they were agreeable to the apex court suggestion for a court-appointed mediator to solve the dispute, some Hindu parties including Ram Lalla Virajmaan raised objections saying earlier also the process of mediation has failed several times.

The bench asked the parties if they can explore the possibility of mediation to resolve the land dispute and said, "Even if there is 1 per cent chance, mediation should be done."