Ayodhya land dispute: All you need to know about the parties involved

The Supreme Court of India will deliver its final verdict over the Ayodhya land dispute on Saturday, November 9. According to reports, the verdict is likely to be announced by 10.30 in the morning. As the case stands in the Supreme court, the main issue revolves around whether there should be a temple of a masjid in the disputed land in Ayodhya or if the land should be divided among the parties. There are around 50 parties involved in the Ayodhya land dispute which has been going on for nearly 70 years. However, the three main parties involved in the case are- Ram Lalla Virajman, Nirmohi Akhara, and the Sunni Waqf Board. Here is all you need to know about the parties and their claims in the case: 

Ram Lalla Virajman

The Ram Lalla Virajman is one of the oldest and main parties involved in the Ayodhya land dispute. Ram Lalla Virajman is a deity of Lord Ram and is represented by Trilok Nath Pandey, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. According to reports, the Ram Lalla Virajman filed a suit in 1989 on behalf of the deity and the birthplace claiming title over the property. Further, the representative of Ram Lalla is opposed to the division of the land title as it holds that the deity is indivisible.

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Nirmohi Akhara

The Nirmohi Akhara is a monastery for the Lord Ram devotees which had come into existence in 1400 AD. The party had filed a suit in 1959 claiming to be the custodian of the property and seeking complete possession of the disputed land in Ayodhya. 

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Sunni Waqf Board

According to reports, the Sunni Waqf Board has been a party in the Ayodhya case since 1961 after the state Government had seized the control through the Faizabad Court verdict. A Waqf is a body recognised by Muslim Law, the Sharia, that owns and manages properties donated for a religious purpose. The Sunni Waqf Board is claiming to seek a declaration of rights and possession over the property.

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Ayodhya verdict today

The Supreme Court of India is all set to give its verdict in the Ayodhya Land dispute on November 9, Saturday. This comes after the Supreme Court reserved its verdict after 40 days of marathon hearings on October 16. After several pleas and hearings in the case since 1950, the Supreme Court on January 25, 2019, had constituted a 5-member bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi. The five-member bench comprises of justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan, S A Nazeer, and CJI Ranjan Gogoi. 

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