Ayodhya: SC says parties can go for mediation if they want to

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that if parties to the Ram-Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid land dispute case want to amicably resolve the matter through mediation, they can still go ahead with it.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it has received a letter from former Supreme Court judge F M I Kalifulla, who was heading the three-member mediation panel, saying some parties have written to him for resumption of the mediation process.

The bench said the day-to-day proceedings in the land dispute case have reached "an advanced stage" and will continue.

The court, however, said the mediation process under the chairmanship of Justice Kalifulla can still continue and proceedings before it will remain confidential.