CJI should act decisively to prevent delay in hearing of Ram Janmabhoomi case: VHP

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Thursday expressed disappointment over the adjournment of hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute in the Supreme Court, and said Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is heading the bench hearing the case, shall decisively act to prevent the delaying tactics of the opposite party.

The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to constitute afresh the five-judge Constitution bench to hear on January 29 the politically-sensitive case after a judge, Justice U U Lalit, recused himself from the hearing.

Anguished over the adjournment of hearing, Kumar said an adjournment from January 10 to January 29 is "rather long".

"Hindus are known for their patience and forbearance. The judicial system still has the responsibility of deciding the matters without undue delays. The country hopes that the Hon'ble Chief Justice, heading the present bench, shall decisively act to prevent the delaying tactics of the opposite party," he said.

Justice Lalit, who was part of the five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Gogoi, "expressed his disinclination to participate in the hearing any further" and opted himself out of the contentious matter.

The apex court said since Justice Lalit has opted out of the hearing in the matter, there was no option left but to adjourn the case "to fix a date of hearing and to draw up a time schedule for hearing of the case".

"The hearing of Ram Janmabhoomi case has been adjourned yet once again. Our apprehensions that the opposite party shall raise any frivolous issues to secure an adjournment have come true," VHP's internal working chief Alok Kumar said in a statement.

Kumar, an advocate, said that the objection of the Muslim party about Justice Lalit being on the bench is painful.

Justice Lalit has never appeared in the Ram Janmabhoomi matters; neither at the trial stage nor in the appeal. His being counsel of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh in 1997 in the contempt matter casts no shadow on his hearing the present appeals, he said adding, "the objections were merely ploys to delay further".