In Brief
This order addresses procedural matters in the Ayodhya temple-mosque dispute appeals. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit recused himself after appearing in a connected 1997 matter, requiring bench reconstitution. The Court affirmed the Chief Justice's authority to constitute a five-judge bench despite an earlier three-judge bench's directive, under Supreme Court Rules Order VI Rule 1. The case involves voluminous records across multiple languages. The Court directed the Registry to inspect 15 sealed trunks containing 13,886 pages of witness depositions and assess translation needs before reconvening on 29 January 2019."
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