The Ayodhya Dispute Timeline
1528: The mosque was constructed at the disputed site supposedly by Mir Baki, a nobleman in the court of Mughal emperor Babar. The Hindus say the mosque was built after razing a temple of Lord Rama marking his birthplace in Ayodhya.
1853-59: In 1853 there was violence over the issue as found in the records. In 1859 the then British rulers fenced the place allowing the inner court to Muslims and outer courts to Hindus for worship.
1949: The idols of Ram, Sita and Laxman and and other objects of worship were placed in the structure on the night of Dec 22-23, 1949 allegedly by the Hindus. Conflict broke out and the government declared the site disputed and locked the gates.
1950: Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra Das and Gopal Singh Visharad moved court seeking permission to worship the idols. The puja is allowed but the inner courtyard gates remained locked.
1961: Sunni Central Board of Waqfs in Uttar Pradesh filed a case claiming the mosque, and said the surrounding area was a graveyard.
1984: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a staunch Hindu body, formed a group to continue the movement. L K Advani is made the leader of the campaign.
Feb 1, 1986: A district judge in Faizabad ordered the gates of the disputed mosque opened to allow Hindus to worship there. The Muslims formed Babri Mosque Action Committee in protest.
1989: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi allows shilanyas (ground-breaking ceremony) in an undisputed site near the structure. The hearing shifted to the High Court.
1990: Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president L K Advani took out a countrywide Rathyatra (chariot tour) in September to campaign for the temple. VHP volunteers partially damage the mosque. Then Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar tries to resolve the dispute through negotiations but nothing came out of it.
1991: BJP seized power in Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya is located.
Dec 6, 1992: The disputed structure is demolished by kar sevaks (Hindu religious volunteers) and a makeshift temple was put in place. Nationwide rioting between Hindus and Muslims claimed over 2,000 lives. Then Congress Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao moved court for status quo.
2001: Tensions prevailed on the anniversary of the demolition of the mosque as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) vows to build a temple at the site.
Jan 2002: Then BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sets up an Ayodhya cell in his office and appoints a senior official, Shatrughna Singh, to hold talks with Hindu and Muslim leaders.
Jan 2003: Archaeologists began a court-ordered survey to find out whether a temple to Lord Rama existed on the site. The Allahabd High Court ordered the Archaeological Survey of India to excavate the disputed site.
Aug 2003: The survey said there is evidence of a temple beneath the mosque, but Muslims dispute the findings. Mr Vajpayee said at the funeral of a Hindu activist that he will fulfil the dying man’s wishes and build a temple at Ayodhya. However, he hopeed the courts and negotiations will solve the issue. All India Muslim Personal Law Board announced it would challenge the ASI report.
Nov 2004: A court in Uttar Pradesh ruled that an earlier order which exonerated Mr L K Advani for his role in the destruction of the mosque should be reviewed.
July 26, 2010: The Bench reserved its judgement and asks all parties to solve the issue amicably. No takers.
Sept 8, 2010: The High Court said the verdict would be delivered on Sept 24.
Sept 14, 2010: A writ is filed to defer the judgement but it was rejected by the High Court.
Sept 23: The Supreme Court stayed the much-awaited verdict on the Ayodhya title suit by the Allahabad High Court?s Lucknow bench by a week, leaving “room” for a possible out of court settlement, an option trashed by the contending parties. The apex body says it will hear it again on Sept 28.
Sept 28: The Supreme Court rejected petition for deferment and cleared the deck for a verdict by the Allahabad High Court on Sept 30.
Sept 30: Verdict Day.