Ayodhya Case: SC Goes Firm On Deadline, Asks Parties To End Arguments By 18 October; Verdict Expected By Mid-November

The Supreme Court on Thursday (26 September) reiterated that the parties in the Ramjanmabhoomi dispute case needed to finish their arguments by 18 October and they would not be given an extra day, The Indian Express reported.

On the 32nd day of hearing the case, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said, “If arguments can’t get over by October 18, there won’t be an extra day.”

The bench headed by the CJI and comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan, and S Abdul Nazeer has currently been hearing the Ayodhya case on a day-to-day basis.

The bench also said that it would have to write and deliver the judgement within four weeks after the arguments are concluded by the parties. “It will be miraculous if the top court can write judgment in the remaining time given the amount of materials parties have given,” Chief Justice Gogoi said.

All the parties acknowledged this and said they would try to follow the timeline.

The deadline to conclude all arguments in the case by 18 October was given by the court on 18 September. It is expected that the judgement will be delivered by mid-November, before the retirement of CJI Gogoi on 17 November.