Ayodhya mediation unsuccessful, SC to begin day-to-day hearings on August 6

Sources told The Indian Express that the Ayodhya dispute mediation committee, headed by Justice KM Kalifulla, had made one last-ditch attempt in the past week to arrive at a possible settlement acceptable to all sides. With the deadline to submit the final report to the Supreme Court ending Thursday, the committee formally informed all the participants that the mediation had not been successful and the proceedings have been formally closed. Sources said that all the parties benefited from the mediation proceedings but they could not reach any conclusion.

The Indian Express also learnt that the committee, which was set up on March 8 by the Supreme Court, had organized only one meeting with all sides present. Attended by 41 persons, this was one of the first meetings to be held by the mediators. There were many other meetings held by the committee, which included Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu besides retired Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice FMI Kalifulla, in various cities, including Delhi, Lucknow and Ayodhya.

On July 18, the Constitution Bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer, had asked the mediation panel led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifulla to inform it on the status of the process by August 1. That direction came when the bench was hearing a plea by Rajendra Singh, son of Gopal Singh Visharad who was one of the plaintiffs in the original civil suit in the Ayodhya land matter.

Visharad, a resident of Ayodhya, had in 1950 moved the court of the Faizabad civil judge, claiming that his right to worship had been impeded by the state government which disallowed him from going near the idol. He had sought an injunction against the removal of idols.

Claiming that there had not been much progress in the mediation, Rajendra Singh urged the court to declare the mediation proceedings concluded so that hearing on the appeals can commence. “Despite initial reluctance in the process of mediation, the applicant herein wholeheartedly participated in the mediation proceedings conducted by three eminent persons appointed by the court. However, in three meetings participated during five months, neither any concrete proposal has come from anyone nor any headway is likely to be made in the process of mediation,” he said.

Hearing Singh’s application first on July 11, the court had called for a status report from the panel which also has Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu as its members. After considering the status report on July 18, the court called for another status report by August 1.

The High Court had divided the 2.7-acre disputed land at the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site equally among the three parties — the idol Ramlalla, Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Wakf Board. On March 8, the Constitution Bench, while considering appeals against the High Court verdict, had ordered mediation to attempt an amicable solution.

Curated For You

Dhurandhar Box Office Collection Worldwide Day 11 Update: Ranveer Singh delivers his biggest hit ever, film earns Rs 411 cr

IPL 2026 Auction Highlights: Cameron Green, uncapped Indians the headline makers

After brief return to normal weather, Bengaluru to see minimum temperatures dip below normal again