- Monday, March 10, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
The Supreme Court of India, which saw a change of guard last week with Justice UU Lalit succeeding Justice NV Ramana as the chief justice, on Tuesday (30) drew curtains on a number of contempt petitions against the government of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and its officials arising over the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in December 1992.
Besides, the apex court also shut proceedings that have been initiated in the wake of the 2002 communal riots in the western state of Gujarat.
While the Supreme Court said that with the passage of time and in view of its 2019 verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute issue in Ayodhya, the cases of contempt do not stand any more.
Also on the proceedings initiated after the Gujarat riots, a three-judge bench featuring Chief Justice Lalit, Justices S Ravindra Bhat and JB Pardiwala said that the cases have turned infructuous with the passage of time and trials finishing in eight out of nine major cases that have been prosecuted by the special investigation team under the top court’s order. Final arguments are underway in one case in the trial court.
The Supreme Court was also set to hear the bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad who was arrested in June for allegedly fabricating proof to frame “innocent people” in cases pertaining to the 2002 riots.
On August 22, the top court sought a response from the government of Gujarat on the bail plea of Setalvad. Solicitor general of India Tushar Mehta, who is representing Gujarat in the case, on Tuesday informed a bench of the chief justice that a response to Setalvad’s petition was ready but required some corrections.
