Ayodhya land dispute: SC allows mediation process to continue, seeks outcome report by Aug 1

The mediation process to amicably resolve the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute at Ayodhya will continue as the Supreme Court Thursday sought from the panel concerned its "outcome" report by August 1.

The outcome of the mediation process undertaken by the three-member panel, headed by former apex court judge F M I Kalifulla following the March 8 order, would be considered by a five judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on August 2 to decide the future course of action.

"We request the mediation panel to inform the court the outcome of the mediation proceedings as on July 31 by August 1 to enable us to proceed further in the matter in terms of the present directions," said the bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.

The bench, which perused a report about the progress of mediation process till July 18, said that its contents will remain confidential as per its earlier ...