All India Muslim Personal Law Board to file five more appeals in Supreme Court on Babri Masjid case

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, April 21: The executive committee of All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, which will meet in the city over a two-day session from Saturday, will give finishing touches to five more appeals to be filed by the board in Supreme Court against the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit judgement delivered Allahabad High Court.
AIMPLB acting general secretary and official spokesperson Abdul Raheem Qureshi told reporters here on Thursday that four appeals had already been filed in the apex court. "We will file five more appeals in Supreme Court against Allahabad High Court order. We are waiting for certified copies of the high court's judgement. Once we get the copies, we will move Supreme Court," he said. The executive committee will take a final decision in this regard.
Stating that there are several "infirmities" in the Allahabad HC verdict, Abdul Raheem Qureshi said they cannot be dealt with under one appeal. The Board, has thus, preferred to file five more appeals. The AIMPLB cannot accept the verdict as it was not based on evidence, but on faith.
The executive committee has as many as 51 members including Parliament members, and senior Muslim clergy drawn from across the country. The executive meet will conclude with a public meeting at Darussalam in the city on Sunday.
Abdul Raheem Qureshi demanded that the Central government make necessary changes in the Wakf Amendment Bill 2010, now referred to a select committee of Rajya Sabha. "Section  87 of the Wakf Act puts a bar on filing new cases in a court of law with respect to wakf properties not registered with the wakf board concerned. "In remote areas there are many Wakf properties which are not registered with the Wakf Board. This Section should be scrapped," he said.
He alleged that the Lok Sabha had chosen Friday afternoon, when members are busy leaving for their constituencies, to pass the Wakf Amendment Bill 2010. Muslim members of Parliament were away attending Friday prayers and the government found it convenient to pass the Bill.
Referring to Direct Taxes Code Bill, the AIMPLB spokesperson said the proposed legislation needs to be changed to exclude religious and charitable organisations as well as places of worship from the purview of income tax. The exemption given to donations made to charitable and religious bodies should be continued in the new legislation too, he demanded.