New Delhi: The curious case of Sunni Waqf Board has given a fresh twist to Ayodhya title suit, one of the longest-running land dispute cases, the verdict in which has been reserved by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court after a marathon 40-day hearing. A rift has emerged in the Waqf Board, which has been claiming to be a stakeholder in the Ayodhya land dispute case. One side said that they are ready to go for the settlement while the other fiercely contest the title on the disputed land. It’s significant as it happened after 40 days of the intense hearing in the extremely sensitive case.
On one side, Sunni Waqf Board counsel and senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan strongly argued claim of ownership of the disputed land while, on the other side, Advocate on Record Shahid Rizvi said that the parties involved in the Ayodhya title dispute have reached a settlement and thus there will be no need of any judgment in the issue. However, the Nirmohi Akhara has rubbished the claims on mediation, with its spokesperson Kartick Chopra saying it seems a rift has emerged in the Waqf Board. However, he said the fresh report over mediation will not have any impact on the case as the court has already reserved its verdict.
Rizvi said once a case is before the court, then parties involved in the matter are entitled to present their case in the best possible manner but at the same time, if the court has felt that the case can be settled by mediation, then it should not be ignored. Rizvi said the top court itself has shown interest that it can be settled by mediation. He further added that if the parties think that cases can be settled before the judgment given, the party can settle the dispute. It is up to the court to take a call and may approve it. “There is no bar in discussing outside the court. Specifically, in this case, the court, in fact, has allowed it,” Rizvi said. Two appeals were been filed by the Board in 2011 — the main lawsuit and the Ram Lalla lawsuit. But Rizvi's claim was denied by the counsel representing the Board in the top court and they have refused to comment on the nature of the settlement.
Rizvi said the court-appointed mediation panel had filed a report in the apex court based on terms and conditions on which the parties which include the Waqf Board, Nirvani Akhara and three other Hindu parties. The report was filed in the court on Wednesday morning. However, another advocate associated with the Sunni Waqf Board has expressed disagreement in connection with the settlement on the dispute through mediation. Shakil Ahmed, another advocate on-record for Sunni Waqf Board, said that the leak to the press may have been inspired by either Mediation Committee directly or those who participated in the said mediation proceedings or participants. (IANS)
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