Muslim Law Board to Seek Review of the Ayodhya Verdict

The Muslim Personal Law Board has said it will request the Supreme Court to review its landmark verdict in the Ayodhya temple-mosque dispute case. Announcing this, the board has also said a review petition will be filed within a month. 

Referring to the country’s top court’s decision to hand the disputed 2.77 acres for the construction of a temple and to grant 5 acres of land at a prominent location for the building of a mosque in Ayodhya, the Law Board said, “We cannot accept any land in lieu of the masjid”.

The court has granted the land to the Sunni Wakf Board, which has already clarified that it is not going to challenge the decision of the court. The Wakf Board has clearly said it doesn’t want ‘to open a closed chapter’ as such a move may lead to more tensions.

Meanwhile, the Law Board, which was not a party in the case but has helped the litigants legally and financially, said, “Other Muslim litigants want review petition”.

Jamiat Ulema-i Hind, a prominent petitioner in the case, has also indicated that it is in favour of a review petition. Three litigants, including the Jamiat, have already identified, who would file the review petition, said the law board.

But the Wakf Board, however, is yet to confirm its decision on accepting any other land for a mosque or not. The Muslim Personal Law Board has also said that under the Sharia laws, a mosque cannot be exchanged with land or money.

After the historic verdict on November 9, Zafaryab Jilani, a member of the Law Board and the lawyer for the Sunni Wakf Board, had clearly said that they were not satisfied with the verdict of the Supreme Court. He then said, “We think it is unjust. We can’t consider this justice”.

Meanwhile, in an interview, Zafar Farooqui, the chairperson of the Sunni Waqf Board, had said it had been “our clear stand from day one that we would abide by the Supreme Court’s verdict - whatever it may be”. He also said, “Second, this issue has created a deep divide in our society over the years. Going for a review could have meant vitiating the atmosphere again”.

Hindu Mahasabha, on the other hand, has said, that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board is not a party to the Ayodhya land dispute case, so it does not have the right to file a review petition. 

Varun Sinha, the lawyer of the All India Hindu Mahasabha said, “AIMPLB is not a party to this litigation. Sunni Waqf board, which is a party to the case, has to take the call to file a review petition. The parties in the matter can only file a review petition in the Supreme Court”.

He also added, “The Supreme Court has already examined each and every aspect of the case and has come to a conclusion that Muslims have not been able to establish their exclusive possession in the disputed site and structure”.

According to the rules, any three litigants in the case can ask for the review of a verdict by the Supreme Court.