The Muslims will be given a five-acre “suitable” plot in Ayodhya.
“The Ayodhya judgment is unanimous. There was no dissenting judges on the five-judge Constitution bench. This court must accept faith and accept belief of worshippers. Court should preserve balance,” said the CJI.
The court said: “There is adequate material in ASI report to conclude the following – Babri Masjid was not constructed on vacant land. There was a structure underlying the disputed structure. The underlying structure was not an Islamic structure.”
The fact that there lied a temple beneath the destroyed structure has been established by the ASI, further noted the Court. The Supreme Court said 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement was wrong in dividing the disputed site into three parts. It added that alternative land will be allotted to Muslims.
The Supreme Court said Muslims have given no proof of exclusive possession of inner courtyard at the disputed site.
A suitable plot of land measuring 5 acre shall be given to Sunni Waqf Board either by the state or by the Centre, the court said.
On October 16, a five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Chief Justice-designate Justice SA Bobde, Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice SA Nazeer, had reserved its judgement on the matter after 40 days of the daily hearing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political leaders have appealed to the people to respect the SC verdict in Ayodhya case.
Prasanta Patnaik