Govindacharya seeks live streaming of Ayodhya case proceedings

Former RSS ideologue K N Govindacharya Thursday wrote to the Centre seeking live streaming of upreme Court proceedings in the politically-sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case.

The top court Thursday decided to re-constitute a five-judge Constitution bench to hear Ayodhya title dispute on January 29 after Justice U U Lalit, one of the members of the bench, decided to recuse himself.

The development took place after senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for a Muslim party, pointed out that Justice Lalit had appeared as a lawyer for Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh in a related Ayodhya matter.

In a letter addressed to Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, Govindacharya and veteran lawyer K G Gupta of think tank Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change asked the Centre to make arrangements before January 29, the next date of hearing in the Ayodhya case, to ensure that citizens get the opportunity to witness the proceedings in "the nation's oldest litigation having a lot of confusion and peculiarities".

"The whole country, including the prime minister, is eager for early resolution of this matter. For the last eight years, the matter has been pending before the Supreme Court. Countless attempts are being made by many parties to delay the hearings, the details of which the country must know," the letter said, adding that the citizens have the fundamental right to know about the happenings in the court.

The letter also referred to the apex court judgement that had held that the live streaming of the court proceedings in matters of national and constitutional importance can be allowed as "the sunlight is the best disinfectant".