The Chief Justice of India Justice Khehar told BJP MP Subramanian Swamy on Friday that "we don't have time right now" to hear the Ramjanmabhumi -Babri Masjid title suits. The Supreme Court declined to fix date for a hearing.
Justice Khehar said the court learnt from the press that Mr. Swamy was not a petitioner in the Ramjanmabhumi -Babri Masjid title suits. "We thought you were a party," he observed.
Mr. Swamy told the court, "My faith has been affected by not being able to pray at the site. A temple should be there."
The pendency of the Ayodhya temple appeal was brought to the attention of a Bench led by Justice Khehar by Mr. Swamy.
Mr. Swamy, in an urgent mentioning, sought the court to post the appeals for early hearing. Instead, the Bench, also comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul, reacted with a different point of view.
The court asked Mr. Swamy to consult the litigating parties about appointing a negotiator for an out of court settlement and report back on March 31, 2017.
Justice Khehar had said parties should understand that these were sensitive issues involving religious sentiments. They should adopt a give and take approach to arrive at a consensus. “You [Mr. Swamy] must make fresh attempts to arrive at a consensual decision. If required, you must choose a mediator to end the dispute. If the parties want me [CJI] to sit with mediators chosen by both the sides for negotiations, I am ready,” he had said.
