Supreme Court to hear Ayodhya case on February 26 as Justice SA Bobde returns from leave

Supreme Court to hear the Ayodhya case on February 26, as Justice SA Bobde who is a part of five-judge Constitution bench, returned from leave. The Supreme Court had earlier cancelled the January 29 hearing in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case due to non-availability of one of the five judges of a Constitution bench.

Justice S A Bobde will not be available on January 29 due to which sitting of the Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi stands cancelled, as per a notice issued by the Supreme Court registry.

The five-judge bench was re-constituted on January 25, as Justice U U Lalit, who was a member of the original bench, had recused himself from hearing the matter. This was followed by Justice N V Ramana withdrawing citing personal reasons.

Besides the CJI, the new bench comprises justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.

Earlier, in view of the proposed march by Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati for laying the foundation stine of a Ram Mandir, the district administration has clamped prohibitory orders in Ayodhya.

Additional district magistrate (law and order) P D Gupta said that taking cognisance of the announcement made by some organisations to lay the foundation stone of a Ram temple in the disputed area acquired near the Babri Masjid site, prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 have been issued in Ayodhya.

Entry of people to the makeshift Ram Janmabhoomi Temple will be allowed through only one road and all other thoroughfares leading to the site will be closed, according to officials. Any group of more than 15 people will not be allowed to enter the site, they said