The much-awaited Ayodhya hearing, which was scheduled to start on 29 January, has been cancelled due to non-availability of Justice SA Bobde.

A statement by the Supreme Court said, “Take notice that due to non availability of Hon’ble Mr Justice SA Bobde on 29.01.2019 (Tuesday), sitting of Constitution Bench in Hon’ble Chief Justice’s court, comprising Hon’ble The Chief Justice, Mr Justice SA Bobde, Hon’ble Mr Justice DY Chandrachud, Hon’ble Mr Justice Ashok Bhushan and Hon’Ble Mr Justice S Abdul Nazeer stands cancelled. Therefore, Constitutional Bench matter will not be taken up for hearing.”

On 25 January, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had reconstituted the Supreme Court bench by replacing Justices UU Lalit and NV Ramana with Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer respectively. Justice Lalit had recused himself from the last hearing after lawyer Rajeev Dhawan pointed out that the judge had represented Kalyan Singh during whose chief ministers tenure, the Babri Masjid was demolished. Lalit had represented Singh in a contempt case in 1997.

CJI Gogoi had also come under criticism from a certain quarter because of no representation of a Muslim judge in a matter that has religious sentiments attached.

The BJP which has been desperately trying for an early hearing of the case in a bid to gain the electoral mileage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was asked in a TV interview about whether his government will bring in an executive order to build Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He had said, “After judicial process is over, whatever will be our responsibility as the government, we are ready to make all efforts.”

Today’s development will be a setback to the BJP, which has been desperately trying for an early hearing of the case in a bid to gain the electoral mileage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when being asked in an interview about whether his government will bring in an executive order to build Ram Temple in Ayodhya had said, “After judicial process is over, whatever will be our responsibility as the government, we are ready to make all efforts.”