Babri Demolition: Judge to Retire, SC Calls for Tenure Extension

The judge holding trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case has sought 6 months’ time from SC to conclude the trial.

The SC will hear the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute on 8 February next year.

(Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia)

The special judge holding trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case which involves BJP veterans LK Advani, Murli Mamohar Joshi and others, on Monday, 15 July, sought six months’ time from the Supreme Court to conclude the trial in the case.

However, the special judge, in a letter written in May, had informed the apex court that he was due to superannuate on 30 September 2019. The SC on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to devise a way for the continuation of his tenure.

The court asked the UP government to inform it by 19 July regarding the mechanism to extend the special judge's tenure till he delivers the verdict in the Babri Masjid case.

The matter came up for hearing on Monday before a Bench headed by Justice R F Nariman.

The SC will now hear the matter on Friday, 19 July.

On 19 April 2017, the top court had ordered the day-to-day trial to be concluded in two years in the case.

(With inputs from PTI.)