New Delhi: The following is the chronology of events in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in Ayodhya in which the Supreme Court Friday decided to hold day-to-day hearing from August 6 as resolution of dispute through mediation failed.
- 1528: Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander of Mughal emperor Babur.
- 1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure. Court rejects the plea.
- 1949: Idols of Ram Lalla placed under a central dome outside the disputed structure.
- 1950: Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad district court for rights to worship the idols of Ram Lalla. - Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols.
- 1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site.
- 1981: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site.
- February 1, 1986: Local court orders the government to open the site for Hindu worshippers.
- August 14, 1989: Allahabad High Court ordered maintenance of status quo in respect of the disputed structure.
- December 6, 1992: Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure demolished.
- April 3, 1993: 'Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act' passed for acquiring land by Centre in the disputed area.
- Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Faruqui, filed in Allahabad High Court challenging various aspects of the Act.
- Supreme Court exercising its jurisdiction under Article 139A transferred the writ petitions, which were pending in the High Court.
- October 24, 1994: Supreme Court says in the historic Ismail Faruqui case that mosque was not integral to Islam.
- April, 2002: High Court begins hearing on determining who owns the disputed site.
- March 13, 2003: Supreme Court says, in the Aslam alias Bhure case, no religious activity of any nature be allowed at the acquired land.
- September 30, 2010: High Court, in a 2:1 majority, rules three-way division of disputed area between Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
- May 9, 2011: Supreme Court stays High Court verdict on Ayodhya land dispute.
- March 21, 2017: CJI JS Khehar suggests out-of-court settlement among rival parties. - Aug 7: SC constitutes three-judge bench to hear pleas challenging 1994 verdict of the Allahabad High Court.
- February 8, 2018: Supreme Court starts hearing the civil appeals.
- July 20: Supreme Court reserves verdict.
- September 27: Supreme Court declines to refer the case to a five-judge Constitution bench. Case to be heard by a newly constituted three-judge bench on October 29.
- October 29: Supreme Court fixes the case for the first week of January before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.
- December 24: Supreme Court decides to take up petitions on case for hearing on January 4, 2019.
- January 4, 2019: Supreme Court says an appropriate bench constituted by it will pass an order on January 10 for fixing the date of hearing in the title case.
- January 8: Supreme Court sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the case headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud.
- January 10: Justice U U Lalit recuses himself prompting SC to reschedule the hearing for January 29 before a new bench.
- January 25: Supreme Court reconstitutes 5-member Constitution Bench to hear the case. The new bench comprises Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.
- January 29: Centre moves Supreme Court seeking permission to return the 67-acre acquired land around the disputed site to original owners.
- February 26: Supreme Court favours mediation, fixes Mar 5 for order on whether to refer matter to court-appointed mediator.
- March 8: Supreme Court refers the dispute for mediation by a panel headed by former apex court judge F M I Kallifulla.
- April 9: Nirmohi Akhara opposes in Supreme Court Centre's plea to return acquired land around Ayodhya site to owners.
- May 9: Three-member mediation committee submits interim report in SC.
- May 10: Supreme Court extends time till Aug 15 to complete mediation process.
- July 11: Supreme Court seeks report on "progress of mediation".
- July 15: Special Judge seeks 6 more months from Supreme Court to conclude trial involving L K Advani, M M Joshi, Uma Bharti and others.
- July 18: Supreme Court allows mediation process to continue, seeks outcome report by August 1.
- July 19: Supreme Court asks Special judge to deliver verdict in 9 months.
- August 1: Report of mediation submitted in sealed cover to Supreme Court.
- August 2: As mediation failed, the Supreme Court decides to conduct day-to-day hearing from August 6.
