SC dismisses plea seeking appointment of government nominees in Ayodhya mosque trust

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea which had sought directions for nominating central and state government representatives to the 'Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation' trust for building a mosque in Ayodhya.

The apex court on November 9 last year had paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a trust at the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the town in Uttar Pradesh.

The matter came up for hearing before a bench headed by Justice R F Nariman which rejected the plea filed by two lawyers.

The petition had said that apart from private individuals and members of state Sunni Board, the presence of central and state government representatives was essential to ensure proper management of the funds.

According to the plea, the Sunni Waqf Board on July 29, 2020 declared creating a trust under the title of 'Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation' for building a mosque, cultural and research centre and public utility facilities including a community kitchen, a hospital and a library within 5 acres land allotted to it.

It had said there was no provision for nominating any officer of the government, like the trust created by the central government.

It is expected that hundreds of people will visit the 'Islamic Trust' site and it will get contributions from within India as also from foreign countries, the plea had said, adding that there should be proper management of the funds and the property vested in the trust.

"It is in public interest that the Central Government and the State Government may have all relevant information about the working of the trust to maintain public order and to ensure that no malpractices take place and the funds are not mis-utilised or misappropriated by any trust," it had said.

"Issue direction in the nature of mandamus directing the Central Government to create a Trust making provision for representation of the nominees of the Central and state government belonging to Sunni Muslims in Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust which may carry out construction work and manage the affairs over 5 Acres land allotted in Dhannipur Village, District Ayodhya, UP to Sunni Central Waqf Board," the plea had said.

The Babri Masjid was demolished in December 1992 by "kar sevaks" who claimed that the mosque in Ayodhya was built on the site of an ancient Ram temple.