The Supreme Court on Friday extended the tenure of CBI judge, S K Yadav who is hearing the Babri Masjid Demolition case and ordered that the verdict in the case must be delivered within nine months from today.

Yadav who is due to retire on Sep 30, 2019 had approached the apex court seeking extension of his tenure saying that he needs at least 6 months more to conclude the trial.

The court had sought UP government’s reply on the plea. It had further told the government to apprise it by July 19 about a mechanism by which the tenure of the special judge could be extended till he delivers the verdict in the high profile case.

On April 19, 2017, the top court had ordered day-to-day trial to be concluded in two years in the case.

Veteran BJP Leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati along with others are facing charges in the case.

A Hindu mob had demolished the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 in presence of several BJP leaders.

—India Legal Bureau