Nirmohi Akhara not a Shebait, says SC

Nirmohi Akhara is not a Shebait, an authorised devotee, of deity Ram Lalla, the Supreme Court held on Saturday while dismissing its lawsuit in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute at Ayodhya.

The top court also said that the suit filed by the Akhara was time barred.

Nirmohi Akhara had claimed that it is the Shebait or devotee of the idol of Lord Ram installed in the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and has the exclusive right to repair and reconstruct the temple.

On December 17, 1959, it had instituted a suit through its 'Mahant' before the Civil Judge at Faizabad claiming that its "absolute right" of managing the affairs of the Janmasthan and the temple had been impacted by the Magistrate's order of attachment and by the appointment of a receiver under Section 145.

Nirmohi Akhara is a Panchayati Math of the Ramanandi sect of Bairagis which is a religious denomination