Babri Masjid Demolition: Judgment day [LIVE UPDATES]

A Lucknow Court will pronounce the verdict in the long-pending Babri Masjid Demolition case today.

The case has 32 accused which includes BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh.

The Special Court has directed all accused persons to remain present on the day of the verdict.

The case refers to the demolition of Babri mosque in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 by kar sevaks who believed the site to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

This led to the registration of two separate FIRs – 197/1992 and 198/1992. FIR 197 was against unnamed Karsevaks for the demolition of the structure while FIR 198 was against eight BJP leaders for instigating the demolition of the structure.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of giving the disputed Ayodhya land to Hindu parties, finding that the Muslims had failed to prove uninterrupted possession of the disputed site. The Apex Court had nonetheless acknowledged that the act of razing down the Babri Masjid was illegal.

Live updates of the pronouncement of verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case feature on this page.