New Delhi: As the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land dispute enters into the crucial final leg in the Supreme Court on Monday, Section 144, which bans the assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in Ayodhya district and surrounding areas in Uttar Pradesh till December 10, 2019. The order was passed “in anticipation of verdict in Ayodhya land case” and “considering safety and security of Ayodhya”. The order also bans the use of drones for filming or shooting.
While confirming the decision, the District Magistrate said, “Section 144 imposed in the district till 10th December in anticipation of verdict in Ayodhya land case. The decision to impose Section-144 also taken into consideration the upcoming festivals.”
The Supreme Court will resume proceedings on the 38th day of the case after a week-long Dussehra break, with a verdict expected before November 17 – the day Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi demits office.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) expressed disappointment over the order and has sought permission to light earthen lamps at the disputed site on Diwali.
“When entire Ayodhya will be lit on Diwali, why should Ram Lalla remain in the dark? We will meet the Divisional Commissioner who is the receiver of the disputed site and seek his permission,” Mahant Nayan Das was quoted in a report by news agency
Twenty-seven years after the Babri Masjid demolition, the Supreme Court is set to wrap up arguments in the case which changed the country’s politics, and deliver a verdict before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi retires on November 17.
