Nirmohi Akhara files plea in the Supreme Court, seeks modification in the Ayodhya title suit mediation order

The Nirmohi Akhara on Monday filed a plea in the Supreme Court, seeking modification in the Ayodhya title suit mediation order. In the plea, the Nirmohi Akhara said that it wants the Supreme Court to move the mediation out of Faizabad and shift it to a neutral place. The plea demanded the judges to be appointed as the mediators in the Ayodhya title suit.

Application was filed by our counsels in the Hon'ble SC earlier today wherein some of the facts are as follows:                        

(i) To consider appointing two more retired judges of this Hon’ble Court on the mediation panel.

(ii) To regulate the process, in the first instance, the original parties claiming title can be encouraged to have a dialogue under the aegis of the Panel of Mediators, without requiring them to give proposals in writing. As stated, there are two original parties who claim title – The Panch Ramanandi Nirmohi Akhara Ayodhya and The U.P. Sunni Central Waqf Board. 

(iii) Since, the appellant is a Panchayati Math, and Panchas have authorized two persons to represent the Panch Ramanandi Nirmohi Akhara Ayodhya before the Mediation Panel, final decision would have to be taken collectively by the Panchas and the representatives of the appellant may be permitted to place the decision rival proposals before the body of Panchas for approval. The appellant may therefore be permitted to take such approval before finalization of any process.

(iv) Due to the sensitive nature of the issue, and other local pressures, this Hon’ble Court may consider moving out the mediation proceedings from Faizabad to New Delhi or some other neutral place, where adequate and genuine security could be provided to the concerned parties and their representatives to enable them to participate in the proceedings without any threat, persuasion or hindrance.

Earlier on March 13, 2019, the Supreme Court-appointed mediators in the Ayodhya case have issued an order following the first day of their discussions with stakeholders at the Awadh university at Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The order, which lists the names of the three mediators - retired Supreme Court Justice Kalifulla, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sriram Panchu - read as follows:

The Chairman and the Members of the Mediation Committee appointed by the Honourable Supreme Court of India for resolution of Ramjanmabhoomi/Babri Masjid dispute had assembled for the First meeting at 10:30 am at Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, to start the Mediation proceedings. Notices had been issued to all the parties to the different Civil Appeals pending in the Honourable Supreme Court and to their advocates as well. The Committee heard all the parties who attended the proceedings.

The Committee brings to the notice of all concerned, the observation of the Honourable Supreme Court of India, which is to the following effect:

"We are also of the view that the mediation proceedings should be conducted with utmost confidentiality so as to ensure its success which can only be safeguarded by directing that the proceedings of mediation and the views expressed therein by any of the parties including the learned mediators shall be kept confidential and shall not be revealed to any other person."

Further, the Committee directs that there should not be any reporting of the mediation proceedings in the print or other media.