A subsequent land title case was lodged in the Allahabad High Court, the verdict of which was pronounced on 30 September 2010. In the judgment, the three judges of the Allahabad High Court ruled that the 2.77 acres (1.12 ha) of Ayodhya land be divided into three parts, with 1⁄3 going to the Ram Lalla or Infant Rama represented by the Hindu Mahasabha, 1⁄3 going to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, and the remaining 1⁄3 going to Nirmohi Akhara. The judgment affirmed that the disputed land was the birthplace of Rama as per evidence provided and that the Babri Masjid was built after the demolition of a Hindu temple, noting that it was not built in accordance with the tenets of Islam.[5][6][clarification needed]
In 1950, Gopal Singh Visharad filed a title suit with the Allahabad High Court seeking injunction to offer puja (worship) at the disputed site. A similar suit was filed shortly after but later withdrawn by Paramhans Das of Ayodhya.[7] In 1959, the Nirmohi Akhara, a Hindu religious institution,[8] filed a third title suit seeking direction to hand over the charge of the disputed site, claiming to be its custodian. A fourth suit was filed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for declaration and possession of the site. The Allahabad High Court bench began hearing the case in 2002, which was completed in 2010. After the Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea to defer the High Court verdict,[9] on 30 September 2010, the High Court of Allahabad, the three-member bench comprising justices S. U. Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D. V. Sharma, ruled that the disputed land be split into three parts. The site of the Ram Lalla idol would go to the party representing Ram Lalla Virajman (the installed Infant Rama deity), Nirmohi Akhara was to receive Sita Rasoi and Ram Chabutara, and the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board to receive the rest. The court also ruled that the status quo should be maintained for three months.[10][11] All the three parties appealed against the division of disputed land to the Supreme Court.[12][13]
The Supreme Court held final hearing on the case from 6 August 2019[14] to 16 October 2019.[15] On 9 November 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the land to be handed over to a trust (to be formed by the Government of India) to build the Hindu temple. It also ordered the government to give 5 acres of land to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board to build a mosque as a replacement for the demolished Babri Masjid.[16]
For 15 days preceding the verdict, restrictions were imposed in Ayodhya to prevent violence. Security arrangements were increased across India. Thousands of paramilitary forces and police troops were deployed in Ayodhya and surveillance of the region was carried out using CCTV cameras and drones.[17]
The five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously pronounced its verdict on 9 November 2019.[30][31] The judgement can be summarised as follows.[32][33][34][35]
The Court ordered the government of India to create a trust to build the Ram Mandir temple and form a Board of Trustees within three months. The disputed land will be owned by the government of India and subsequently transferred to the Trust after its formation.
The Court ordered the entire disputed land of area of 2.77 acres to be allocated for the construction of a temple while an alternative piece of land of area of 5 acres be allocated to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque at a suitable place within Ayodhya.
The Court ruled that the 2010 Allahabad High Court's decision, division of the disputed land was incorrect.
The Court observed that archaeological evidence from the Archaeological Survey of India shows that the Babri Masjid was constructed on a "structure", whose architecture was distinctly indigenous and non-Islamic.
On objections raised with regards to ASIs various scientific claims by the Muslim parties, the Supreme Court observed, the contesting parties could have raised it before the Allahabad High Court as there were legal remedies available for the same.[36] The apex court of India also commented that the ASI report which was submitted on behalf of the Allahabad High Court was not an "ordinary opinion".[37] At the same time, on The Historians report to the Nation authored by Aligarh historians and presented as an evidence, the court observed : "At the highest, this report can be taken as an opinion."[38]
The ruins of an ancient religious structure under an existing building do not always indicate that it was demolished by unfriendly powers, the Supreme Court held in its 1,045-page judgment in the Ayodhya case.[39]
The court observed that all four of the Janamsakhis (biographies of the first Sikhguru, Guru Nanak) state unambiguously and in detail that Guru Nanak made pilgrimage to Ayodhya and offered prayers in the Ram temple in 1510–11 CE. The court also mentioned that a group of Nihang Sikhs performed puja in the "mosque" in 1857.[40]
The Court said that Muslim parties, including the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, failed to establish exclusive possession of disputed land. It said that the Hindu parties furnished better evidence to prove that Hindus had worshipped continuously inside the mosque, believing it to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama. The Court cited that iron railings set up in 1856–57 separated the inner courtyard of the mosque from the outer courtyard, and that Hindus were in exclusive possession of the outer courtyard. It said that even before this, Hindus had access to the inner courtyard of the mosque.
The Court ruled that the suit filed by Nirmohi Akhara could not be upheld and it had no shebait rights.[41] However, the court ruled that Nirmohi Akhara should be given appropriate representation in the board of trustees.
The Court rejected the claim made by Shia Waqf Board against the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for the ownership of the Babri Masjid.
On 12 December 2019 the Supreme Court dismissed all the 18 petitions seeking review of the verdict.[42]
The primary lawyer of the Muslim parties Zafaryab Jilani said that they were not satisfied with the verdict but added that the verdict also contained some "good examples".[43] The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board's lawyer, Zafaryab Jilani, "expressed dissatisfaction over the Supreme Court's Ayodhya verdict, saying it has a lot of contradictions and they will seek a review of it."[44] Zufar Faruqi, chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, issued a statement saying that he accepted the verdict and declared that it will not submit a review petition for the same.[45]
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, a litigant in the dispute, refused to accept the alternative site for a mosque ordered by the court.[46]
Prominent leaders from the Hindu and the Muslim communities extended their support to the Indian government in maintaining peace, after meeting with National Security AdvisorAjit Doval.[49] The Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Delhi supported the verdict, saying that the dispute should not continue further.[50] Some major industrial bodies supported the decision.[51]
National Herald, published two articles criticizing the verdict.[61][62][63] The editorial later withdrew the articles and issued an apology after facing criticism on social media and from the BJP.[63][64]
A few celebrities also expressed their opinion in support for the decision and called for harmony and peace.[65]
^"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Muralidharan, Sukumar (12 April 2002). "Temple Interrupted". Frontline. Archived from the original on 30 September 2010.((cite news)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)