Ayodhya case: Justice U U Lalit recuses from hearing

Justice U U Lalit, who was part of a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute matter, Thursday recused himself, prompting the Supreme Court to reschedule the hearing on January 29 by setting up a fresh bench.

No sooner than the bench assembled, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for a Muslim party, told a bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi that Justice Lalit appeared for former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh in 1994.

Though Dhavan said he was not seeking recusal of Justice Lalit, the judge himself opted out the hearing the matter.