Ayodhya Verdict: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Asks Police To Ensure Law And Order

Ahead of the Supreme court verdict on the Ayodhya case, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Friday directed senior police officials to ensure law and order in the state. He directed the top police officials to deploy senior officers in sensitive areas to prevent any trouble. The chief minister reviewed the security arrangements and asked the officials to remain prepared for dealing any situation. Sensitive localities have been identified and the police force is prepared to handle any potential trouble, an official said.

Gehlot said maintaining communal harmony and brotherhood was the top-most priority of the government.  Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed in Jaipur, police said. A senior police official said policemen were on alert and section 144 of the CrPC will be imposed by district collectors and police commissioners as per the assessment and requirement.

The Supreme Court will pronounce the verdict in the politically sensitive case of Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya at 10:30 am on Saturday, according to a notice uploaded on the top court’s official website. The judgment, which is likely to end the decades of uncertainty, will be pronounced by a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer are the other four judges of the Bench.

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On October 16, the top court had concluded the day-to day hearing and reserved the judgment. Hours before the announcement, CJI Gogoi held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari and DGP Om Prakash Singh and took note of the security arrangements.

As many as fourteen appeals have been filed in the top court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. The judgement was challenged in the Supreme Court with both Hindu and Muslim parties claiming the disputed site in full.