The Hindu : Orders today on Ayodhya hearing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 20, 2002

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Orders today on Ayodhya hearing

LUCKNOW, MARCH 19. The Allahabad High Court today reserved till tomorrow its order on the Centre's petition to begin a day-to-day hearing of the Ayodhya case to facilitate speedy disposal of the matter.

The Lucknow Bench of the court, comprising Justices S.R. Alam, Sudhir Narain, and Bhanwar Singh, heard arguments from the parties concerned, including the Additional Solicitor-General, R.N. Trivedi.

Mr. Trivedi submitted that though the Centre was not a party to the case, it was interested in a speedy disposal since it was the statutory receiver of the acquired land in Ayodhya.

The Sunni Central Waqf Board (SCWB) and the Nirmohi Akhara - plaintiffs in the case - pleaded that the Centre had no ``locus standi'' in the matter.

The Akhara submitted that the Centre's petition was ``mala fide'', while the SCWB said it was an ``infraction'' since the court had already passed an order on July 12 ordering a day- to-day hearing.

In the context of the judges' query on whether the State Government would agree to meet the expenditure for setting up a commission, Mr. Trivedi told presspersons that the State Government had informed the court that it would abide by its directive in this regard. Setting up of a commission was suggested by the judges for recording the statement of witnesses to help them decide the matter expeditiously.

If necessary, he said, the Centre was prepared to meet the expenses on this account since it was interested in the speedy disposal of the matter.

VHP meeting today

A two-day meeting of senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad functionaries would begin at Karsevakpuram here tomorrow to review the Ram temple agitation and chalk out the future course of action.

The meeting, to be presided over by the outfit's international working president, Ashok Singhal, would also take up the ongoing `purnahuti yagya' for discussion, the VHP joint secretary, Rajendra Singh Pankaj, told presspersons in Ayodhya today.

Meanwhile, normality was restored in the twin cities of Faizabad and Ayodhya following resumption of train services on Monday.

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