WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSIAL AYODHYA CASE? A BRIEF TIMELINE FROM 1885 - 2019!

Here, we take a look at a brief timeline of the Ayodhya case!

1528-29: Mughal emperor Babur's commander Mir Baqi establishes Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

1885: A plea was filed by Mahant Raghubir Das in the Faizabad district court seeking to build a temple next to the mosque. Court rejects the plea.

1949: Idol of Ram Lalla found inside the mosque. Hindus call it divine appearance and start offering prayers. A few say it was smuggled in there.

1950: Suits filed in Faizabad Court by Gopal Simla Visharad and Paramhansa Ramachandra Das, seeking permission to worship the idols of Ram Lalla.

1959: Nirmohi Akhara files plea seeking possession of the disputed land.

1961: UP Sunni Waqf Board files plea seeking possession of the site and removal of idols from the mosque.

1986: Faizabad Sessions Court orders to open the site for Hindus to worship the idols. Babri Masjid Action Committee is formed in protest.

August 14, 1989: Title suits shifted to Allahabad High Court.

November 9, 1989: Rajiv Gandhi government allows Vishwa Hindu Parishad to perform Shilanyaas near the disputed site.

1990: BJP's LK Advani begins Rath Yatra from Gujarat to gather support for a Ram temple at the disputed site.

December 6, 1992: Babri Masjid is demolished by Karsevaks.

1993: Narasimha Rao government acquired over 67 acres of land including disputed site and adjoining areas.

2002: Hearings of title dispute begin in Allahabad High Court.

2003: SC says no religious activity is allowed in the disputed area.

2010: In 2:1 judgement, HC orders a three-way division of the disputed land between Sunni Waqf Board, Ram Lalla and Nirmohi Akhara.

2011: SC stays HC verdict.

2017: Chief Justice JS Khehar suggests an out-of-court settlement over the dispute.

2017: A three-judge bench of CJI Dipak Mishra, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer begins hearing the appeals.

January 8, 2019: CJI Ranjan Gogai forms a 5-judge bench led by him and consisting of Justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, UU Lalit and DY Chandrachudto hear the appeals.

January 10, 2019: Justice UU Lalit recuses himself from the hearing. Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer replace Justices NV Ramanna and UU Lalit.

August 6, 2019: The 5-judge bench begins daily hearings of appeals challenging the Allahabad HC verdict in the title suit.

October 15, 2019: SC reserves its verdict in the title suit.