Ayodhya Case: Supreme Court asks all parties to give names of mediators, to pass order soon

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will pass orders on whether to refer the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for mediation, underlining that it has no control over what Mughal ruler Babar did and is only concerned with resolving the present situation. The top court said it thinks that primarily the issue is not about 1,500 square feet land, but about religious sentiments.

A five-Judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which reserved verdict on referring the matter for mediation, said that it is conscious of the impact of the issue on "public sentiment" and on "body politic".

"Arguments on the issue of reference to mediation are closed. Arguments concluded. Orders reserved," said the bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer.

Hindu bodies like Nirmohi Akhara suggested names of Justices (retd) Kurian Joseph, AK Patnaik and GS Singhvi as mediators, while the Hindu Mahasabha faction of Swami Chakrapani proposed the names of former CJIs Justices J S Khehar and Dipak Misra and Justice (retd) A K Patnaik to the bench.

Vadra is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate in money laundering cases related to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad and an alleged land scam in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

Here are the LIVE updates from the hearing: