Supreme Court hearing on Ayodhya issue begins today

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday a batch of 13 appeals against an Allahabad High Court verdict that directed division of 2.77 acres of land of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya into three parts among Hindus, Muslims and the Nirmohi Akhara.

On Tuesday, a three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice Dipak Misra is expected to fix a date for day-to-day hearing after taking note of the fact that pleadings by all the parties are completed and translation of 90,000 pages of documents into English from Hindi and other languages is ready.

Meanwhile, the Citizens for Justice and Peace has filed an application seeking intervention by a group of eminent persons urging the court not to treat this matter like a narrow property dispute and instead recognise the ramifications of letting religion dictate the fate of a piece of land. The petitioners including Shyam Benegal, Aparna Sen said in Ayodhya, a space should exist for all, without conflict.