CJI steps back from Ayodhya case
Swamy told the court that he had filed an intervention application as his fundamental right to worship was being affected.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, who had on March 21 offered to mediate and help resolve the Ayodhya Ram temple-Babri Masjid title dispute, withdrew his offer on Friday, putting to rest his controversial suggestion of an out-of-court settlement.
The Supreme Court’s proposal, Justice Khehar clarified, was based on the erroneous understanding that BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swami, who had approached the court requesting an early hearing of the appeals pending since 2010, was a party to the ongoing litigation.
The CJI, sitting with Justice D.Y. Chhandrachud, said on Friday, “You did not tell us that you were not a party to the case, we only got to know that from the press.” Dr Swamy told the court that he had filed an intervention application as his fundamental right to worship was being affected.
Ayodhya hearing is not going to be fast-tracked
“My right to offer prayer and worship is affected by the pending case and I had filed an application,” Subramanian Swami, told the court. The bench then said that there was no urgency and it was therefore not going to fast-track the matter. The appeals against the Allahabad High Court’s 2010 judgement will come up in the normal course.