New Delhi: The Supreme Court yesterday set Oct.18 as deadline for all parties to finish their arguments in the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid title suit land dispute case. 

The Top Court asked the respective parties to make all the necessary efforts to conclude their arguments and submissions before the deadline.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is heading the five-member Constitutional Bench, is set to retire on Nov.17- which may give a month’s time to the Bench to write the judgement. 

The other four Judges are Justices S. Arvind Bobde, Ashok Bhushan, D.Y. Chandrachud and S. Abdul Nazeer. The Bench also observed that the parties fighting the case can also attempt to settle the dispute by mediation.

“The mediation process can go on if any party wanted to do so, but at the same time, the hearing which is going on at present will simultaneously go,” it said. The terms of settlement and process of meditation would be confidential. 

From Aug.6 onwards, the Apex Court has been hearing the case on a day-to-day basis, after the mediation process, conducted by a three-member Mediation panel, failed.

The Apex Court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement trifurcating the disputed site. While Hindu Mahasabha has already completed arguments and submissions before the Apex Court, the Muslim side is arguing the case now.