Ayodhya dispute: Judge recuses; SC bench to be reconstituted

Supreme Court Sanjay [File] Supreme Court | Sanjay Ahlawat

There was drama in the Supreme Court on Thursday even before the sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case at Ayodhya was taken up by a five-member Constitution Bench as one of the judges asked to be recused from the matter.

The Supreme Court has adjourned the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case matter to January 29, with a reconstituted bench to hear the matter.

The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, was to comprise Justices S.A. Bobde, N.V. Ramana, U.U. Lalit and D.Y. Chandrachud.

On Thursday, when the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case was to be taken up, Gogoi announced that Justice Lalit had asked to be recused from the matter. Gogoi also clarified that the appearance on Thursday was only intended to decide the dates for further hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case.

Advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who was appearing for group of Muslim petitioners in the case, told the Supreme Court that Lalit, as a lawyer, had once represented BJP leader Kalyan Singh in a contempt of court case related to the Ayodhya dispute. Singh was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh at the time of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.

However, Dhavan noted his party had no objections to Justice Lalit staying on the bench.