Delhi’s Patiala House Court has thrown out a bid by lawyer Mahmood Pracha to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2019 Ayodhya verdict. Pracha’s petition, filed early this month, challenged the five‑judge decision that paved the way for the temple’s construction on the disputed site. He also argued against a lower court’s order that had refused to hear his civil suit.
In the application, Pracha claimed that former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, who sat on the Supreme Court bench, was partial to the Ayodhya ruling. Pracha further tried to make the deity Bhagwan Shri Ram Lalla Virajman a party in the case and labeled Chandrachud a close friend of the deity. The lawyer also cited the Chief Justice’s speeches, saying his prayers to God indicated bias.
Judge Dharmendra Rana of Patiala House rejected the petition, calling it “frivolous” and an abuse of the judicial process. He noted that the Supreme Court’s decision was clear and that no evidence showed bias from Chandrachud. The judge highlighted that seeking divine guidance is a personal faith matter and does not amount to any manipulation of the courts.
The court also reinforced a previous ruling that barred civil or criminal proceedings against sitting judges, citing the Judges’ Protection Act of 1985. Pracha’s inclusion of Chandrachud as a “next‑friend” of the deity was deemed improper, and essential parties to the original Ayodhya case were omitted.
Because of the frivolous nature of the petition, the court increased Pracha’s fine from the earlier Rs 1 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. The higher fine is intended to deter future frivolous suits that target public officials after they retire.
In short, Delhi’s Patiala House Court upheld the lower court’s decision, reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict, and penalised the lawyer for filing a baseless claim. The case underscores the judiciary’s stance against misuse of legal channels to challenge landmark judgments.
Source: ianslive
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