Supreme Court to continue with day-to-day hearing in Ayodhya case, rejecting Sunni Waqf Board’s Vakil Rajeev Dhavan’s demands

The Sunni Waqf Board’s advocate Rajeev Dhavan’s tricks fall flat in sabotaging the day-to-day hearing in the Ayodhya case. The Supreme Court on Friday made clear that it would continue with the day-to-day hearing, telling Dhavan that he may take mid-breaks, if he feels so. On Friday evening, the apex court reverted to the objections raised by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing Muslim parties including M Siddiq and the All India Sunni Waqf Board, that it will not be possible for him to take part in the proceedings 5-days a week.

“We will continue day-to-day hearing as ordered earlier,” a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said at the fag end of the fourth day of proceedings in the case. Chief Justice added that Dhavan can take a mid-week break whenever he wants. “But there won’t be any break in the Constitution Bench otherwise”, said Chief Justice Gogoi, puncturing Dhavan’s tricks to delay the hearing.

As the counsel (K. Parasaran) for deity ‘Ram Lalla Virajmaan’ started advancing its submissions before the bench, Dhavan got up and interjected the proceedings. 

The bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer, then fixed the Ayodhya case hearing for next Tuesday. The court is off next Monday on account of Eid.

As usual, Dhavan started throwing tantrums in the forenoon objected to the five-days-a-week hearing of the case, saying he will “not be able to assist” the court if the hearing is “rushed through”.  Breaking with the tradition, the Supreme Court had decided to hear the case on Friday — the day which, along with Monday, has been kept for hearing only fresh cases.  As per the apex court’s procedures, on Mondays and Fridays, the registry lists before the benches fresh and miscellaneous cases after notice cases.

As the counsel (K. Parasaran) for deity ‘Ram Lalla Virajmaan’ started advancing its submissions before the bench, Dhavan got up and interjected the proceedings.  “It is not possible to assist the court if it is heard on all days of the week. This is the first appeal and the hearing cannot be rushed in this manner and I am put to torture,” he told the bench.

He said the apex court was hearing first appeals after the Allahabad High Court delivered the verdict in the case and the hearing as such cannot be rushed through. Being a first appeal, documentary evidence has to be studied. Many documents are in Urdu and Sanskrit, which have to be translated, Dhavan said in his rash style, trying to bully the Bench.

At one point, continuing his bullying style, Dhavan alleged that “perhaps, except Justice Chandrachud, other judges might not have read the judgment (Allahabad High Court’s)”.  He said that if the court has taken a decision to hear the case on all five days of the week then he might have to leave the case.

“We have taken note of your submissions. We will revert back to you soon,” CJI Gogoi had said and proceeded with the hearing.

In the evening, the Bench rejected Dhavan’s demands and reiterated that day-to-day hearing will continue in Ayodhya case.