Mehbooba hails Supreme Court's decision to constitute 3-member bench for hearing Ayodhya land dispute case

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to constitute a three-member bench for hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case.

She said punishment must be served to those who demolished the mosque.

"Honourable SC's decision to constitute a bench for Babri Masjid/Mandir issue is a welcome step. There is also need to ensure punishment is meted out to those who demolished the Babri Masjid so that such acts are not repeated in the future," Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

The PDP president also said the country would not have witnessed "massacres" had the culprits responsible for 1984 anti-Sikh riots been punished.

"Had the culprits responsible for 84 Sikh riots been punished, the country wouldn't have witnessed the Bombay, Meerut, Gujarat and other infamous massacres," she said.

The Supreme Court Friday said an "appropriate bench" on January 10 will fix the date of hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case.

"Further orders in the matter will be passed on January 10 by the appropriate Bench, as may be constituted," said a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul.

A three-member bench is to be set up for hearing the matter on a batch of petitions.