5-judge Constitution bench of SC to sit in chambers on Oct 17

The five-Judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which was hearing the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land dispute case, will sit in chambers on Thursday (October 17).

"Take notice that on Thursday the October 17, 2019, the Chief Justice, SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer will sit in chambers," read a notice.

The Supreme Court had on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions in connection with the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land dispute case.

The five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, today reserved its judgement, after a marathon of 40 days of hearing in the case.

It is expected and very likely the judgement would be pronounced by the top court between November 4-17, as the CJI is going to retire on November 17.

The four other judges, in the five-judge Constitution bench which heard the case, were - Justices Sharad Arvind Bobde, Ashok Bhushan, D Y Chandrachud and S Abdul Nazeer.

The apex court was hearing the case from August 6 this year, on a day-to-day basis (five days a week) after the mediation process, conducted by a three-member Mediation panel, headed by Justice (Retired) FMI Kalifullah, in the case failed.

Supreme Court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging September 30, 2010, Allahabad High Court judgement trifurcating the 2.77 acres of the disputed land at Ayodhya into three equal parts to Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara.

These three parties -- Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara -- however, knocked the doors of the apex court challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict and sought modification of the High Court judgement.

( With inputs from ANI )