Muslim panel to appeal against Ayodhya verdict (Second Lead)

LUCKNOW - The All India Muslim Personal Law Board Saturday said it had decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the Ayodhya verdict given by a three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court last month.

The decision was taken at a closed-door gathering of the 51-member executive held at the Darul-Uloom, Nawa-tul-Ulema, popularly known as Nadwa here.

“The meeting felt that this judgment suffers from a number of infirmities. The executive committee of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) considers it to be the right and obligation of the Indian Muslims to challenge the judgment in the apex court and remove distortions introduced by the judgment in the basic values of the constitution and the established norms of jurisprudence,” the Board said in a press statement.

“Under these circumstances, the Board decides that this verdict be challenged in the Supreme Court of India,” it said.

Chaired by Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadwi, the rector of the Nadwa, the meeting was reportedly attended by prominent Islamic scholars and clerics from different parts of the country.

A Board source earlier said no consensus could be obtained on going for an amicable out-of-court settlement even though some members of the Board expressed their views in favour of such a settlement.

The meet follows the Sep 30 verdict of the Allahabad High Court that decided to divide the disputed 90 ft x 120 ft plot of land in Ayodhya into three equal parts - two to two separate Hindu parties involved in the case and one to the Sunni Central Waqf Board, representing Muslims.

Earlier, the Sunni Central Waqf Board had resolved to appeal against the order of the high court.

However, since the All India Muslim Personal Law Board is the highest decision-making body regarding religious rights of Muslims in the country, the final decision on the issue was left to the board.