Twenty-five litigants in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case, along with their counsels, appeared on Wednesday before a Supreme Court-appointed mediation panel in Faizabad, officials said.
The Faizabad administration had issued notices to the 25 litigants on behalf of the panel. The mediation process will take place at a hall at the Faizabad Avadh University, they said, adding that no one has been allowed to enter the area where the mediation is taking place.
Heavy security arrangements have been made at the university premises, Faizabad District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said. The three-member panel comprising retired justice Kalifullah, senior advocate Sriram Panchu and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrived in Faizabad on Tuesday, he said.
The members would be staying in Faizabad for three days as per the programme given by the panel, officials said.
The panel in a letter has directed the Faizabad administration to ensure foolproof security in and around the venue, and also necessary personal security for the litigants and lawyers, officials said. The Supreme Court on March 1 had announced that the Ayodhya title dispute would be referred for mediation and said the three-member panel would have time of eight weeks.
