Muslim Board to file review plea against SC's Ayodhya verdict
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) will be filing a review petition against the Supreme Court's verdict on the long-festering Ayodhya land dispute case. Earlier, the Supreme Court had ordered for the disputed land to be handed over to a Board of Trustees for the construction of Ram Mandir. Here are more details.
The AIMPLB held a meeting in Lucknow on Sunday over the apex court's verdict. Speaking on the AIMPLB meet, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President, Maulana Arshad Madani, said, "Despite the fact that we already know that our review petition will be dismissed 100%, we must file a review petition. It is our right." The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind was among the key players in the Ayodhya mediation process.
Notably, the decision to file a review petition was made after extensive deliberations with lawyers and experts and the approval of the Jamiat's highest decision-making body, the working committee, PTI reported. Under Madani's chairmanship, the panel discussed the prospects of challenging the verdict, eventually observing that the verdict wasn't final, as an option to review it exists in the Constitution of India.
On November 9, a five-judge bench, headed by the outgoing Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, ruled that the entire 2.77 acres of disputed land should be handed over to the deity Ram Lalla, designated for a Ram Mandir. The court ordered the Centre to allot an alternate 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board in Ayodhya for the construction of a mosque.
Following the verdict, the Centre initiated the process of setting up a trust for the construction of a Ram Mandir. Meanwhile, the Sunni Central Waqf Board said last Sunday that they will likely accept the 5-acre plot, for building a mosque in Ayodhya. Board Chairman Zafar Farooqui had earlier said that they respect the verdict and will not file a review petition.
