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

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed mediation process in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case to continue and sought a report on its outcome by August 1.

A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said that after perusing the report filed by the mediation panel, it will take a call on August 2 on whether hearing is required in the case.

The bench, which perused the report filed by the panel headed by former apex court judge F M I Kalifulla, said its contents will remain confidential as per its earlier order.

"However, taking into account what has been brought to our notice by the said report, we now fix hearing of the case, if required on and from August 2," the bench, also comprising justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer, said.

The apex court requested the committee to inform it by August 1 about the outcome of the proceedings held till July 31.

The bench also took into record an application filed by one of the parties pointing to discrepancies in the translated copies of the records related to the case.