SC told Ayodhya case more important than polygamy, should be referred to larger bench

New Delhi: The Ayodhya land dispute case being heard by the Supreme Court should be referred to its larger bench as the issue was far more important than that of polygamy among Muslims, the top court was on Friday told in a plea.

Petitions challenging the legal validity of polygamy among Muslims have been referred to the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising its five senior-most judges.

Friday’s plea was made by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who was appearing for a Muslim party, before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which said it will take a decision on referring the case to a larger bench after hearing all parties to the litigation.

"The Ayodhya land dispute is far more important than polygamy among Muslims and the whole nation wants an answer," Dhavan told the bench.

The Supreme Court had earlier made it clear that only the parties to the original lawsuits would be allowed to put forth their arguments in the sensitive Babri Masjid-Ram Temple land dispute case.

A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had in 2010 ordered that the land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.