Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case timeline
New Delhi : Ayodhya has been a land of dispute, since time immemorial. The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case has received several dates and judgement in the apex court. On September 27, the Supreme Court has declined to refer the issue of reconsideration of its observation that mosque was not integral to Islam, to a larger bench.
SC rejected the pleas of Muslim parties to the seven-year-old appeal challenging the Allahabad High Court's decision to divide the 2.77 acres of dispute land in Ayodhya equally among three parties.
Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case timeline
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 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.
1950: 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 HC ordered maintenance of status quo in respect of the disputed structure.
December 6, 1992: Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure demolished
April 3: ‘Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act’ passed for acquisition of land by Centre in the disputed area.
1993: Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Faruqui, filed at Allahabad HC challenging various aspects of the Act.
October 24, 1994: SC says in the historic Ismail Faruqui case that a mosque was not integral to Islam
April 2002: HC begins hearing on determining who owns the disputed site.
March 2003: SC says, in the Aslam alias Bhure case, no religious activity of any nature be allowed at the acquired land.SC says interim order passed should be operative till disposal of the civil suits in Allahabad HC to maintain communal harmony.
September 30, 2010: HC, 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: SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute.
February 26, 2016: Subramanian Swamy files plea in SC seeking construction of Ram Temple at the disputed site
March 21, 2017: CJI JS Khehar suggests out-of-court settlement among rival parties.
August 7, 2017: SC constitutes three-judge bench to hear pleas challenging the 1994 verdict of the Allahabad HC.
August 8, 2017: UP Shia Central Waqf Board tells SC mosque could be built in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed site.
September 11, 2017: SC directs Chief Justice of the Allahabad HC to nominate two additional district judges within ten days as observers to deal with the upkeep of the disputed site.
November 20, 2017: UP Shia Central Waqf Board tells SC temple can be built in Ayodhya and mosque in Lucknow.
December 1, 2017: Thirty-two civil rights activists file plea challenging the 2010 verdict of the Allahabad HC.
February 8, 2018: SC starts hearing the civil appeals.
March 14, 2018: SC rejects all interim pleas, including Swamy’s, seeking to intervene as parties in the case.
April 6, 2018: Rajeev Dhavan files plea in SC to refer the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgement to a larger bench.
July 6, 2018: UP government tells SC some Muslim groups were trying to delay the hearing by seeking reconsideration of an observation in the 1994 verdict
July 20, 2018: SC reserves verdict.
September 27, 2018: SC declines to refer the case to a five-judge Constitution bench.
Next case will be heard by a newly constituted three-judge bench on October 29 of this year. Till then stay tuned with us!
