Who is Justice FMI Kalifulla - All about Ayodhya title dispute case mediator

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered mediation in the politically sensitive Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for the 'permanent solution' of the long-standing issue. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that the mediation process will be held in Faizabad on-camera but barred media from reporting the proceedings. The top court also appointed a three-member panel of mediators headed by Justice FMI Kalifulla. Two other mediators are spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu. The court said that the deliberations of the panel will conclude within eight weeks and the first status report will be submitted in four weeks.

Who is Justice FMI Kalifulla?

Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim (FMI) Kalifulla is a retired Supreme Court judge. The son of former Madras High Court judge Justice Fakkir Mohamed, Justice Kalifulla had enrolled as a lawyer in 1975. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on April 2, 2012. His tenure lasted for around four years before his retirement on July 22, 2016. Justice Kalifulla is known for his landmark judgment for carrying out reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He also played a crucial role in restoring faith in the minds of Kashmiris by ensuring that the common people of the Valley have access to justice.

Reacting to the Supreme Court decision to appoint him as the head of the panel of mediators, Justice Kalifulla said, "I understand SC has appointed a mediation committee headed by me. I'm yet to receive order copy. I can say if the committee has been constituted, we'll take every effort to resolve the issue amicably,"