Hearing in Ayodhya case on October 29 as SC refuses referral to larger Bench

New Delhi, Sep 27: With the Supreme Court refusing to go into a question on whether a Mosque is essential to Islam, the hearing in the Ayodhya case would get underway. The court today directed that the main Ayodhya appeal would be listed before a three judge Bench and hearing in the case would begin on October 29.

The hearing on the main title suit had been stalled as some appellants had sought for a review of a portion of the Ismail Faruqui case of 1994. It was said in that case Mosque is not essential to Islam.

The appellants contended that this observation could have a bearing on the main case and hence this needed a review.

The Bench on Thursday by a majority verdict 2:1 held that this does not need consideration by a larger Bench.

Justice Ashok Bhushan while reading out the verdict said that a place of particular significance for practising religion has a different place in law. The acquisition under the 1993 act has already been upheld, he added.

The court also said that the Faruqui judgment does not decide any matter involved in these suits and that the suits must be decided on the basis of their own evidence. The court also said that the observations in the Faruqui case are not relevant for deciding suits or appeals.

The law is not always logical and each judgment is in context of its known facts. All temples, mosques, churches are equally relevant, the court also said.