Thaindian News

Lucknow, April 28 (IANS) The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court Thursday extended till Aug 31 its order for maintaining status quo at the Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya town.

The earlier order was to expire May 31.

While a special appeal against the high court’s verdict on the issue was pending before the Supreme Court, an application was moved by the Faizabad commissioner seeking extension of the status quo before the special bench which gave its judgment in September 2010.

The bench however allowed the commissioner, who is the designated authority in the case, to undertake necessary repairs in the makeshift temple at the site.

The basic repairs involve replacement of the tarpaulin under which the makeshift temple exists.

The special bench now comprises Justice S.U. Khan, Justice Sudhir Agrawal and Justice V.K. Dikshit, who succeeded Justice D.V. Sharma. Justice Sharma retired from service shortly after delivering the verdict last year.

A three-judge special bench of the high court had ordered division of the disputed 90 ft x 120 ft Ayodhya plot of land where the Babri Masjid once stood into three parts - one for the Ram Lalla deity, one for the Nirmohi Akhara and one for the Sunni Waqf Board.

The mosque was razed Dec 6, 1992.