Hearings On Ayodhya Title Suit To Resume, Decides SC

• Plea to refer seven-judgeissue to larger Bench rejected
• New three-judge Bench to be constituted
• Hasty decision, says dissenting judgment

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

A three­ judge Bench of the Supreme Court, in a majority opinion of 3:1 on Thursday, declined to refer the question if a “mosque as a place of prayer is an essential part of Islam” in the Ramjanmabhoomi­-Babri Masjid appeals to a seven-judge Bench.

The majority view by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Ashok Bhushan ordered that the hearing in the main Ayodhya title suit appeals should resume in the week commencing from October 29.

With Chief Justice Misra retiring on October 2, a new three­judge Bench would be constituted.

On 1994 judgment