New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday put deadline for all the parties involved in the Ram-Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid land dispute case, to complete their final arguments and said that the submissions have to be likely completed by October 18.

It also said that if the parties can amicably resolve the matter through mediation, they can still go ahead with it.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it has received a letter from former Supreme Court judge F M I Kalifulla, who was heading the three-member mediation panel, saying some parties have written to him for resumption of the mediation process.

Gogoi said "as per the estimate of tentative dates to finish the hearing in the case, we can say that the submissions have to be likely completed by October 18."

"Simultaneously the  mediation process can go along with the hearing, which is going on in SC, and if an amicable settlement is reached through by it, the same can be filed before the SC," the bench said.

The bench said the day-to-day proceedings in the land dispute case have reached "an advanced stage" and will continue.

The court, however, said the mediation process under the chairmanship of Justice Kalifulla can still continue and proceedings before it will remain confidential.