Law must stand apart over political considerations, religion and beliefs, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said on Saturday, reading out the verdict on the 2.77-acre piece of land that has been at the centre of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. Justice Gogoi, who heads the five-judge Constitution Bench set up to decide the decades-old dispute, said the court, as a secular institution, should uphold all beliefs and religion.
Justice Gogoi, who estimated that it will take half-an-hour to read out the operative portion of the verdict, has said that the constitution bench’s verdict on Ayodhya is “unanimous”.
The verdict was preceded by appeals for calm by top religious and political leaders and a nationwide security alert to prevent any attempt by miscreants to inflame tempers in a case that has been followed intently by the Hindu and Muslim community.
A day before the five-judge Constitution Bench decided to open the top court on a Saturday, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had summoned top officials of Uttar Pradesh to reassure himself that the administration was prepared to deal with any fallout of the verdict. Security was also upgraded at the residence of the five judges hearing the case.
The Constitution Bench started hearing cross appeals against the 2010 Allahabad high court verdict on the title suit in August after a last-ditch effort by the top court to give negotiations a chance did not get anywhere.
The high court had ordered the division of the disputed 2.77 acres of land into three equal parts to be divided among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara, a religious denomination; and the Ram Lalla Virajman, which represents the child deity.
