Ayodhya Case: "Final hearing" in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri issue at 2 pm

Three judges of the Supreme Court on Thursday are likely to commence crucial ''final hearings'' at 2 pm on a bunch of 13 petitions over the 2.7 acre disputed Ayodhya site that is claimed by both Hindus and Muslims. The last hearing on the matter took place on December 5. The bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer, had made clear on 5 December last year that it would begin final hearing on the petitions from 8 February and had asked the parties to file the requisite pleadings in the meantime.

A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had in 2010 ordered that the land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. This order of Allahabad High Court was challenged by both Hindu and Muslim groups in the Apex Court. All three groups sought complete right on the entire land.