Five pleas filed in SC seeking review of Ayodhya verdict

New Delhi: Five petitions were filed in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking review of its November 9 judgement which cleared the way for construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

The pleas have been filed by Maulana Mufti Hasbullah, Moulana Mahfoozur Rehman, Mishbahuddin, Mohd Umar and Haji Nahboob, who are all supported by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

A 5-judge bench, headed by the then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, had in a unanimous verdict on November 9 decreed the entire 2.77 acre disputed land in favour of deity 'Ram Lalla' and also directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque in Ayodhya.

"At the outset, it must be stated that the purpose of this review petition is not to disturb the peace of this great nation but in the spirit that any peace must be conducive to justice. In respect of this case, Muslims have always maintained the peace but Muslims and their properties have been victim of violence and unfairness treatment. This review is part of a quest for justice," said one of the review pleas.

These five review petitions, which are settled by senior advocates Rajeev Dhavan and Zafaryad Zilani, have been filed through advocate M R Shamshad.

Dhavan, who represented Muslim parties in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case, had on December 3 said he has been sacked from further appearance and is no longer involved in the plea for a review. "Just been sacked from the Babri case by AOR (Advocate on Record) Ejaz Maqbool who was representing the Jamiat. Have sent formal letter accepting the 'sacking' without demur. No longer involved in the review or the case," Dhavan had wrote on Facebook.

As Dhavan had later said he did not want to divide the Muslim parties, the AIMPLB had said on December 3 that it was hopeful that the veteran lawyer will represent the body when it files a review petition.

On December 2, the first plea seeking review of Ayodhya verdict was filed in the apex court by Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi, legal heir of original litigant M Siddiq and also the Uttar Pradesh president of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind.

Rashidi stated in his review plea that "complete justice" could only be done by ordering reconstruction of the Babri Masjid.

While key litigant, Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Wakf Board, decided against challenging the verdict, Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi has sought review of the verdict on 14 counts.

The mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992 by 'kar sewaks' triggering communal riots.