Centre seeks SC nod to transfer excess land to trust

​New Delhi: The Centre filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking permission to alienate a portion of the disputed land in the Ram temple-Babri mosque dispute to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas. In 1993, the Centre had acquired 67 acres of land around the disputed site saying it was related to the dispute. 

The SC had upheld the acquisition in 1994 and ordered that this land shall remain with the Central government and shall not be released in anyone’s favour until the dispute is decided. This arrangement was continued and reasserted by the Supreme Court by a 2011 order in the Aslam Bhure’s petition. Bhure was also a petitioner in the case. Now, the Centre wants to release a portion of this acquired land in favour of the Nyas and is seeking the apex court’s permission.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath has welcomed the Centre’s move to petition the Supreme Court to hand over the land to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas. Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas is a trust formed by members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to oversee the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. On Sunday, the Supreme Court issued a notice deferring the hearing of the Ayodhya title suit case in which was to begin on Tuesday following the non-availability of one of the five judges on the constitution bench.