Ayodhya case: Mediation failed, take up appeals, says Gopal Singh Visharad

The original plaintiff in the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid title suit Gopal Singh Visharad told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that mediation talks between the two sides have failed to reach a settlement, and with no concrete proposal after five months of mediation, pending appeals be taken up at the earliest.

Senior advocate PS Narasimha appeared before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi to mention the application for urgent listing. "We will see," said the Bench after CJI Gogoi, who is also part of the bench hearing the Ayodhya title suit case asked Narasimha whether an application to this effect had been filed and the response was affirmative.

The media is barred from reporting on the proceedings of the Committee of Mediators, led by a former Supreme Court judge; and the concerned parties have also been restrained from making any disclosure. On May 10, 2019, the top court considered a report by the committee which expressed satisfaction over the mediation and expected positive results. They were given additional time to table the report by August 15.

The application is indicative of the Hindu side determined to fight the issue legally than settle for mediation. "Since the mediation proceedings ordered by this Court are not yielding any fruitful result or likely to yield any result," Visharad said, "it is most respectfully submitted that mediation proceedings be declared to have concluded and the appeals filed by the applicant (Visharad) and others are heard on merit and decided expeditiously."

Visharad was the first litigant to file a suit (Suit no. 1 of 1989), demanding that Lord Ram's idols be consecrated at his place of birth. Visharad participated in three meetings of the Committee of Mediators comprising former SC judge FM Ibrahim Kalifulla, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate and noted arbitrator Sriram Panchu. However, his presence was not requested even once in the month of June.

Visharad pointed out that no headway has been made in the process in five months, as evidenced by the lack of a concrete proposal from either side. "Even the suggestions are not within the scope of the present mediation and are political in nature," the application said. "This has convinced the applicant that the only solution is judicial adjudication."

Cut To The Case

• Gopal Singh Visharad was the first litigant to file a suit demanding Lord Ram’s idols be consecrated at his place of birth
• He says all parties have failed to reach a settlement as evidenced by lack of a concrete proposal after 5 months of mediation
• On May 10, the Supreme Court considered a report by the Mediation Committee and gave them an extension till Aug 15