Timeline Of Centuries Old Ayodhya Ram Janmbhoomi - Babri Masjid Dispute

Here are the year-by-year events and verdicts involved in the case.

1528: Mosque built by Babur’s Commander Mir Baqi.

1850-85: First recorded incident of violence in Ayodhya. Mahant Raghubar Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure.

Dec 1949: Idols of Rama, Sita placed inside the temple by unknown persons.

1950: Gopal Visharad files suit in a Faizabad court for the right to worship the idols; Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit seeking to continue worship and keep the idols.

1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site.

1981: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession.

1986: Local court allows the opening of gates, allows Hindus to offer prayers.

Aug-Sept 1989: Allahabad HC bunches dispute petitions for hearing, orders status quo. Rajiv Gandhi government allows VHP’s Shila Yatra on the assurance it would maintain the status quo.

Nov. 1989: Rajiv Gandhi government lets VHP perform shilanyas for temple.

1990-91: LK Advani begins rath yatra to garner support for temple. Kar Sevaks turn violent in Ayodhya, several activists are killed in police firing.

Dec 6, 1992: Babri Masjid structure demolished

Apr 3, 1993: Acquisition of certain area at Ayodhya Act passed to acquire land by the centre in and around the disputed area.

Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Faruqui, filed at Allahabad HC challenging Act.

Oct 24, 1994: Mosque not integral to worship in Islam, SC rules.

Sep 30, 2010: HC, in a 2:1 majority, orders a three-way division of disputed area between Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Central Wakf Board.

May 9, 2011: SC stays HC verdict.

Feb 26, 2016: Subramanian Swamy files plea in SC seeking to press for his right to worship and construction of Ram Temple at the disputed site.

Aug 7, 2016: SC sets up 3-judge bench to hear pleas to reopen the 1994 verdict.

Mar 14, 2018: SC rejects all interim pleas, including Swamy’s, seeking to intervene as parties in the case.

Apr 6, 2018: Rajeev Dhavan seeks reconsideration of ruling in its Faruqui judgement to a larger bench; UP opposes it as a delaying tactic.

Sep 27, 2018: SC declines to refer the case to a Constitution bench. Instead constitutes three-judge bench on October 29, 2018, to hear title suit on merit.

Jan 25, 2019: CJI Gogoi sets up a five-judge bench to hear the case overruling earlier CJI Dipak Misra’s judicial order setting up a three-judge bench.

Oct 16, 2019: SC five-judge bench reserves judgement.

November 9, 2019: The Supreme Court made the decision giving the disputed 2.77-acre land to the Hindu parties with a trust to be formed by the Centre within three months to monitor the construction of the Ram Temple. The Sunni Waqf Board will be given 5 acres of alternate land, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled in the unanimous verdict.