Supreme Court reopens, all eyes on Ayodhya verdict

New Delhi: As Supreme Court reopens on November 4, after week long Diwali vacations, all eyes are set on much awaited Ayodhya judgment on the ownership of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid disputed site that would be pronounced any day in the coming eight working days starting with November 4 to November 15.   

The top court constitution bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Chief Justice designate S.A.Bobde,  Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer have eight working days  — five days from Monday (November 4) to Friday ( November 8)  and three days of the subsequent week November 13, 14 and 15 to pronounce their much awaited verdict.

November 11 and 12 are holidays on account of Guru Nanak’s birthday and another holiday. The 550 birthday of Guru Nanak falls on November 12.

The top court constitution bench had on October 16 reserved its verdict on a batch of cross petitions challenging September 30, 2010, Allahabad high court judgment by which the disputed site was trifurcated in three parts giving two parts to Hindu litigants – idol of Ram Lalla and the Nirmohi Akhara — a Hindu sect —  and one to Muslims.  The hearing lasted for 40 days.

The hearing had commenced on August 6 after efforts by three member committee headed by former top court judge Justice Fakir Mohamed Ibrahim  Kalifulla to find an amicable resolution  of the dispute did “not resulted in any final settlement.”

Besides, Ayodhya, two more long awaited verdicts on the plea seeking the review of top court judgments giving clean chit to the Centre on the purchase of 36 ready to fly Rafale fighter jets and permitting the entry of women of all age groups in Kerala’s Sabrimala temple, too are likely to be pronounced.  

The verdict on the plea seeking the review and recall of December 14, 2018 Rafale judgment giving clean chit to the government in the purchase of 36  Rafale fighter jets in ready to fly condition was reserved on May 10, 2019.  

Another long awaited judgment is on the pleas seeking the review of judgment opening the  Sabrimala temple to the women of all age groups.

Another important judgment that would be pronounced is on the plea seeking to bring in public domain the decision making process leading to the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary including disclosure of correspondence exchanged between the Chief Justice of India and the Union law ministry in the course of the appointment of judges.

While opposing the disclosure of correspondence exchanged between the Chief Justice of India and the Union Law Ministry in the course of the appointment of judges under Right to Information Act, the Center in the course of the hearing, had contended that the disclosure of information on what transpired in the appointment or elevation of judges would have a bearing on judicial independence and free and frank deliberation within the collegium.

 All the four judgments have to be pronounced by Novemberv15 as Chief Justice Gogoi  headed the benches that had heard Ayodhya case, plea for the disclosure of information relating to the appointment of judges under the RTI,  review of  Rafale and Sabrimala verdicts.  

 Though CJI Gogoi is retiring on November 17, but November 15 is his last working day as November 16 and 17 are Saturday and Subday.

Chief Justice designate Justice Bobde would be sworn in a 47th CJI to succeed incumbent CJI Gogoi on November 18.