New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday referred the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case for mediation and appointed a panel led by former apex court judge F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla to take the process forward.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living, and senior advocate Sriram Panchu were also named on the panel. All three members belong to Tamil Nadu.
The verdict was announced after the top court heard a batch of pleas that challenged the 2010 Allahabad High Court order that in a 2:1 majority divided the land three ways between the Sunni Wakf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the deity Ram Lalla.
As the mediators get set to start the process within a week, ThePrint introduces you to the three panel members.
Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla
Son of former judge M. Fakkir Mohammed, Justice Kalifulla belongs to Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu.
Kalifulla enrolled as an advocate in 1975 and practised at the Madras high court.
He was appointed as a permanent judge of the Madras High Court on 2 March 2000. In 2011, he was transferred to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Four months after the transfer, he was appointed the acting chief justice. On 18 September 2011, he was named the chief justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
Within six months, in April 2012, Kalifulla was elevated to the Supreme Court — he was the third Muslim judge at the top court after Justices Altamas Kabir and Aftab Alam.
He retired in July 2016.
Through his career, Justice Kalifulla authored several prominent orders. In a 1-1 split high court verdict, he once ordered bypolls in 99 of the 155 wards in Chennai. His observation was upheld when the matter was referred to a third judge who agreed with his judgment.
In another matter, the judge upheld the introduction of Vedic Astrology as a course in Science at Indian Universities.
Also read: What about Babri Masjid? How land became more important than the mosque in Ayodhya
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the spiritual organisation, Art of Living in 1981. Since then, Ravi Shankar’s spiritual philosophy gathered momentum and his self-attested “non-profit” gained prominence around the world.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, The Art of Living has several international centres too.
With the top court appointing him on the panel of mediators, the spiritual guru finally has a shot at attempting mediation between the two communities — something he had been trying for a couple of years at least.
In February 2018, Ravi Shankar told reporters in Balrampur that the court could not resolve the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case amicably because the issue was an emotional one. An out-of-court deal would be the best solution for this vexed issue, he said.
“Because it’s Lord Ram’s birthplace, there is such a strong feeling connected with the place. And since it is not that important place for Muslims… Anyway, it is not going to serve the purpose; and when it is not serving the purpose of the other community (Muslims), then, it should be gifted,” he told the reporters.
At the time, he had also said that a legal recourse for this dispute would cause “heartburn” for the side that would lose. This, he said would also create discord among the communities.
“So, in either case, there will be discord in society. I want to create a win-win situation, where both communities come together and respect for each is restored, where respect of each is honoured. That is the formula we are suggesting, why not do it?” he had said.
Along with UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi, Shankar tried to mediate and counsel the warring parties. However, the efforts failed.
Sriram Panchu
Senior Madras high court advocate Sriram Panchu is largely considered to be the foremost authority on mediation in India.
Founder of the Mediation Chambers, Panchu is on the board of directors of the International Mediation Institute and a certified mediator on the panel of Singapore’s International Mediation Centre.
In 2009, Panchu set up the first court-annexed mediation centre in New Delhi, a model which was replicated by various countries under his guidance.
The legal fraternity also describes Panchu as an “eminent trainer”.
The Supreme Court has sought his mediation services previously too.
In August 2010, the apex court had appointed Panchu and senior advocate Niranjan Bhat as mediators to settle the Assam-Nagaland boundary dispute. In April 2011, Panchu was once again called to settle a dispute between two sections of the Parsi community in Mumbai over performing religious ceremonies.
Recently, the Bar Association of India, the country’s apex body for lawyers, honoured Panchu by conferring on him the Lawyers of India Day Award.
Also read: On Ayodhya dispute case, top court says can’t change what Babur did, must focus on present