Ayodhya Case: Supreme Court Constitution Bench said mediation may help in "healing relations" (File)
The Supreme Court today gave its judgement, ordering a formal mediation in the Ayodhya case, as a roadmap to solve the 60-year-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said the case was not about property, but about "mind, heart and healing-if possible." While the Supreme Court is in favour of mediation in the case, most parties involved do not approve of mediation.
The Supreme Court has formed a three-member panel to meet all the petitioners in the Ayodhya dispute case. The three-member mediation committee will include former Supreme Court judge Justice FM ibrahim Kalifulla, 68, senior advocate Sriram Panchu, 69 and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, 62. Justice Kalifulla would be the chairperson of the committee. The mediators can induct more members in the committee, the Supreme Court said.
"Mediation will take place. We don't see any legal obstruction to it," said Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi while delivering the order. "Mediation proceedings will remain confidential. There would be no reporting in any media," he added.
During the last hearing on Wednesday, most of the Hindu petitioners, the Uttar Pradesh government and the consul of "Ram Lalla", the deity infant Lord Ram, had shown reluctance towards mediation. The Sunni Waqf Board, ready to give mediation a shot, is concerned about privacy during negotiations. The Nirmohi Akhara, another petitioner in the case, has also agreed for mediation.
The Constitution Bench, which is hearing the case, said mediation may help in "healing relations". Even if there is "one per cent chance" of settling the dispute amicably, the parties should go for mediation, the bench had said.
Two years ago, the court had suggested that the two sides explore the possibility of resolving the matter through negotiation. The court even said it was ready to mediate if they agreed. But negotiations did not take off as all sides involved said they wanted the court to take a call.
Here are the Highlights on the Supreme Court order on mediation in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Case:
Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala says: "INC (Indian National Congress) has unequivocally maintained that the decision of the SC (Supreme Court) in the Ram Mandir case should be final and binding on all parties. We respect the decision to constitute a mediation panel."
Ayodhya Case: "Very serious responsibility," says senior advocate Sriram Panchu, appointed by the Supreme Court, in the three-member mediation panel for the Ayodhya case
"It is a very serious responsibility given to me by the Hon'ble Supreme Court," said Sriram Panchu, senior advocate and mediator, appointed by the Supreme Court, in the three-member mediation panel for the Ayodhya case, in a statement.
"I will do my best," he added.
Ayodhya case: "We hope he will remain neutral. Other mediators don't have on record statements," said Asaduddin Owaisi on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's appointment to the mediation committee
"We hope he will remain neutral," says Asaduddin Owaisi, on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's appointment to the mediation committee by the Supreme Court for the Ayodhya case.
"He has given an on record statement threatening violence. The other mediators don't have on record statements," he said.
"On 4 November 2018, there's a statement he has given. He threatened violence. How will he stay neutral? 'If muslims don't give up their claim on Ayodhya, India will become Syria.' He hopes everyone will forget what he said," said Asaduddin Owaisi.
"Supreme Court is free to appoint whoever it wants," he added.
Ayodhya Case: "Yet to receive order copy," says Justice FMI Kalifullah, who will head the mediation committee appointed by the Supreme Court on the Ayodhya case
"I understand SC has appointed a mediation committee headed by me," said Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifullah, quoted by news agency ANI.
"I'm yet to received order copy.I can say if committee has been constituted we'll take every effort to resolve the issue amicably," he said.
Ayodhya case: The three mediators
Ayodhya Case: "An honest effort," tweets BSP chief Mayawati
"Hon'ble Supreme Court's order to constitute in-camera mediation (in Faizabad) in order to resolve the Ayodhya matter seems an honest effort," tweeted BSP chief Mayawati.
"Hon'ble Court looking for "a possibility of healing relationships" is an appreciable move. BSP welcomes it," she said in the tweet.
Ayodhya Dispute Case: "Turning dreams to reality," tweets Sri Sri Ravi Shankar after Supreme Court order on Ayodhya
"Respecting everyone, turning dreams to reality, ending long-standing conflicts happily and maintaining harmony in society - we must all move together towards these goals," tweeted Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir Case: Supreme Court directs panel of mediators may co-opt more members
Supreme Court directs panel of mediators may co-opt more members and in case of any difficulty they can inform top court registry, according to news agency Press Trust of India
Ayodhya Case: "Historic opportunity for us Indians": Salman Khurshid tweets on Supreme Court's mediation verdict
"Supreme Court has opened historic opportunity for us Indians to reaffirm the path of togetherness and harmony. Mediation in Ayodhya matter can show the path to the shared destiny of Hindus and Muslims. No winner-loser syndrome only winners: Indians & India," Salman Khurshid tweeted on the Ayodhya dispute case.
Ayodhya Dispute Case: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya says "won't question Supreme Court order": news agency ANI
"Won't question SC order. In the past,efforts made to arrive at a solution,but with no success. No Lord Ram devotee or saint wants delay in construction of Ram Mandir," said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, quoted by news agency ANI
Read Here: Ayodhya Dispute Case: Mediation committee member and senior advocate Sriram Panchu has been instrumental in making mediation a part of India's legal system
Sriram Panchu is a senior advocate and mediator. He is a founder of The Mediation Chambers, which offers services in mediation and med-arb. He is the president of the Association of Indian Mediators and a director on the board of the International Mediation Institute (IMI). He set up India's first court-annexed mediation centre in 2005, and has been instrumental in making mediation a part of India's legal system.
Mr Panchu has mediated a large number of complex and high-value disputes across the range of commercial, corporate and contractual disputes in different parts of India.
These include construction and property development, insolvency and winding up, property disputes, family business conflict, intellectual property and information technology disputes. He has also mediated international commercial disputes.
He is a certified mediator on the panel of the Singapore International Mediation Centre. He was appointed by the Supreme Court to mediate a 500 square kilometre dispute between the states of Assam and Nagaland, and another public dispute involving the Parsi community in Bombay.
He is at ease with the facilitative and evaluative styles of mediation. He also combines mediation and arbitration, and has developed innovative methods that are user-friendly and ensure finality of result with the best possible solution.
He has authored two books on mediation. Settle for More introduced mediation to the Indian audience. Mediation: Practice & Law (Butterworths, LexisNexis) is the standard manual in India. He has authored the Indian chapter of Getting the Deal Through.
The Supreme Court of India has referred to him as a "distinguished mediator", "eminent trainer" and "one of the foremost mediators in the country".
Read Here: Ayodhya Ram Temple Case: About Justice FMI Kalifulla, who will be the chairperson of the mediation committee for the Ayodhya case
Justice FMI Kalifulla is the son of Late Thiru Justice M Fakkir Mohamed and was born on 23rd July, 1951 and enrolled as an Advocate on 20th August, 1975.
He was an active Labour Law Practitioner as Partner of the Lawyer's Firm called M/s TS Gopalan & Co, and appeared for various Public and Private Sector Undertakings, Nationalised and Scheduled Banks. He was the Standing Counsel for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. On 2nd March, 2000, he was appointed as Permanent Judge of the Madras High Court.
He was transferred to High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and assumed charge of Office on 24th February, 2011.
He was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on 7th April, 2011.
Took oath as Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on 18th September, 2011.
He was elevated as Judge, Supreme Court of India on 2nd April, 2012.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir Case: Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla is a retired Supreme Court judge
Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on April 2, 2012. His tenure lasted around four years, or 1572 days, before his retirement on July 22 , 2016.
Ayodhya Case: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to be part of mediation committee
Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been appointed to be a part of the mediation committee for the Ayodhya case.
He is currently in Uttarakhand's Haldwani for a programme and will return to Delhi at 5 pm.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had tweeted yesterday over the Supreme Court decision, saying the move towards mediation "is in the best interest of the country."
"We should keep our egos and differences aside and come together with a spirit of honouring & accomodating the sentiments of the communities concerned," he said in another tweet.
Ayodhya Case BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court directs mediation proceedings to be completed within 8 weeks
The Supreme Court has directed the mediation proceedings to be completed within 8 weeks.
Ayodhya Case BREAKING NEWS: The status report of the mediation committee will have to be completed in four weeks
The status report of he mediation committee will have to be completed in four weeks.
Ayodhya Case BREAKING NEWS: Mediation proceedings to take place in Faizabad
Faizabad will be where the mediation committee will meet. The entire proceedings of the mediation committee will take place in Faizabad.
The Uttar Pradesh government will make all the arrangements for the mediation committee.
Ayodhya Case BREAKING NEWS: There will be a three-member mediation committee for the Ayodhya case
The Supreme Court has ordered the formation of a three-member mediation committee for the Ayodhya case.
The three mediators will be senior lawyer Sriram Panchu, Justice FMI Kalifulla and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The chairperson of the committee will be Justice FMI Kalifulla.
All the mediation proceedings will be in-camera.
Ayodhya Case BREAKING NEWS: Mediation proceedings to remain confidential
Supreme Court orders mediation in the Ayodhya case. The mediation proceedings will remain confidential, says Supreme Court.
Three mediators will be appointed.
Justice Kalifulla will be the chairperson of the mediation committee. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be a part of the mediation committee.
Ayodhya Case BREAKING NEWS: Mediation will take place, says Supreme Court
Supreme Court has said that mediation will take place in the Ayodhya case.
Ayodhya Case: Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute is not an issue of land but one of "sentiment and faith"
The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute is not an issue of land but one of "sentiment and faith", the Supreme Court said on Wednesday as it heard the response of various petitioners to its suggestion that mediation can help resolve the decades-old row.
"It is not only about property. It is about mind, heart and healing, if possible," said a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi which reserved its decision on referring the case to a court-appointed mediator.