SC to hear plea challenging validity of Ayodhya Act 1993

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear a fresh plea challenging the Constitutional validity of the 1993 central law by which 67.703-acre land, including the disputed premises of Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid at Ayodhya, was acquired.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan tagged the matter with the main petition in which a constitution bench is dealing with the main title dispute.

"List the matter before the bench already seized with the issue," the bench also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna said.

Earlier on January 29, the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking its permission to return the 67-acre acquired land around the disputed Ram Janambhoomi Babri Masjid site to original owners.

In the plea, the Centre said it had acquired 67 acres of land around the 2.77 acre disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site.

The plea had said that the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas (a trust to promote construction of Ram Temple) had sought return of excess land acquired in 1991 to original owners.

Earlier, the apex court had ordered that the status quo be maintained with regard to the acquired 67 acre of land around the disputed site.

The central government in 1991 had acquired 67 acre land around the disputed site.

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