The Supreme Court will announce the Ayodhya verdict at 10:30 am on Saturday. After marathon hearings for 40 days on the sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid title case, the court had reserved it’s order on October 16. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi is heading a 5 judge Constitution bench that will announce the verdict. As the country holds its breath for the historic verdict, political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have appealed for peace, matter what the verdict is.
Here are live updates:
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8:15 am: Congress Top Brass To Meet Ahead Of Ayodhya Verdict
Congress top brass would be meeting on Saturday morning to discuss its strategy in the wake of the Ayodhya verdict by the Supreme Court.
Congress general secretary organisation KC Venugopal said the meeting of the CWC would be held tomorrow morning. It was earlier to be held on Sunday.
“The CWC meeting has been rescheduled to tomorrow 09.11.19, 0945 am at 10 Janpath. CWC members, Permanent Invitees & Special invitees will be attending the meeting,” Venugopal tweeted.
The Congress working committee, the highest decision making body of the party, decides on the party strategy on crucial issues.
It would discuss the party strategy to be adopted in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya. (PTI)
8:05 am Huge Security Cover In Ayodhya
Ayodhya, the city that burned on the day the Babri Masjid was demolished, is a fortess. ANI tweeted some visuals.
8:00 am: Supreme Court To Deliver Ayodhya Verdict At 10:30 am Today
The Supreme Court is going to pronounce its verdict in the historic and politically sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case of Ayodhya at 10:30 am today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening took to Twitter to appeal to the people of the country to maintain peace and harmony as the verdict is announced.
A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, will pronounce the verdict. The bench had heard the case for 40 days this year and had reserved its judgement on October 16.
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Gogoi met with Uttar Pradesh chief secretary and director general of police on Friday to assess the law and order arrangement in the state ahead of the verdict.
Ayodhya has been under complete lockdown since last month in anticipation of the verdict. Reports earlier this week had said that 12,000 security personnel had been deployed in Ayodhya district, while 16,000 volunteers were appointed by the UP police to keep an eye on social media to ensure no “objectionable content” or rumours are spread.
“Adequate forces have been provided to Ayodhya and all sensitive districts of the state in good measure. The force has been sufficiently strengthened in terms of CAPF and PAC companies,” Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) PV Ramasastry told PTI.
Ramasastry said not only their number had been increased but the efficiency of the deployed forces was also being improved for the past two months by giving them better equipment and training.
Apart from this, senior officers were also involved in planning, he said.
When asked whether drone cameras will be used for monitoring purposes, Ramasastry said, “Drone cameras are being used in the preparatory phase so that the deployment of the forces can be planned correctly.”
He said drone cameras would also be used to closely monitor vulnerable spots and rooftops to prevent the accumulation of stones.
Because of the crucial nature of the case and the communal riots that ensued after the demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992, political leaders cutting across party lines have appealed for peace. The riots, according to official numbers, had killed 2,000 people.
On Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all sections of people to maintain harmony, saying the verdict would not be a victory or defeat for anyone. He reportedly also told his council of ministers to avoid making unnecessary statements on it.
The Delhi Police has also asked its top officials to identify sensitive areas in the city for deployment of additional force, officials said. The police, PTI reported, has planned elaborate security arrangements.
Clerics and priest across the country have asked people to maintain restraint. Lucknow Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali told PTI, “We should all respect the judgment. We should exercise restraint and not hurt religious sentiments of any community.”
He said an all-religious meeting was recently organised at the Islamic Centre here to discuss several aspects before the judgment.
“The Ayodhya case is the biggest and most sensitive case of independent India. Hence, it is the responsibility of every citizen to honour the verdict and maintain peace,” Mahali said.
Meanwhile, priest at the Dakshinmukhi Hanuman Mandir in Hazratganj Sarvesh Shukla said, “My only appeal to the people is to honour and respect the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case.”
“I am confident that people of this country are quite mature, and they will accept the judgement delivered by the court,” he said.
Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among three parties ― the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
(With PTI inputs)