Judge: I wasn't consulted on deferment plea

Security forces patrol a locality as part of the security measures ahead of the Babri title suit verdict in Lucknow on Sunday.

Justice Dharam Veer Sharma, one of the three judges on the Special Bench of the Allahabad High Court here, on Monday gave a dissenting order on the plea to defer the verdict on the Babri Masjid title suit.

Ramesh Chandra Tripathi's application to defer the verdict for finding an amicable settlement to the dispute was rejected by the Special Bench on September 17. The judgment will be pronounced on September 24.

While not agreeing with the views of the other two judges — Justices S.U. Khan and Sudhir Agarwal — Mr. Justice Sharma said the possibility of an amicable settlement could have been explored.

He said all the parties concerned could approach the Bench till September 23, if the possibility of an amicable solution emerged.

Mr. Justice Sharma claimed that he was not consulted by his “brother judges” before the plea was dismissed. He did not sign the High Court order.

Legal experts said the judge's order is unlikely to have a bearing on the date of the judgment as it is the majority opinion that prevails.

PTI reports:

Justice Sharma said Mr. Tripathi was not required to pay costs of Rs. 50,000. The costs imposed in the present case was beyond the statutory limit of Rs. 3,000.