The bench headed by Chief Justice Of India Ranjan Gogoi thus put an end to the more than a century old dispute that has torn the social fabric of the nation.
It said that the possession of the disputed 2.77 acre land rights will handed over to the deity Ram Lalla, who is one of the three litigants in the case. The possession however will remain with a central government receiver.
The bench observed that the underlying structure below the disputed site at Ayodhya was not an Islamic structure, and asserted that the damage to Babri mosque was violation of law.
Reading out the judgment, the SC said that the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board has failed to establish its case in Ayodhya dispute and Muslims were not in possession of outer courtyard of the site.
On the contrary, Hindus established their case that they were in possession of outer courtyard, the verdict said.
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The bench said the existence of Sita Rasoi, Ram Chabutra and Bhandar grih are the testimony of the religious fact of the place.
SC dismissed the plea of Nirmohi Akhara seeking control of entire disputed land.
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SC directed allotment of alternative 5-acre land to Muslims to build new mosque and asked the govt to set up a trust for construction of Temple.
It said that the Centre, UP govt can monitor together future actions by authorities. It also asks Centre to consider granting some kind of representation to Nirmohi Akhara in setting up of trust.
In its unanimous verdict, the bench dismissed the Single Leave Petition by Shia Waqf Board in the case over the disputed structure.
Fourteen appeals were filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits. It said the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
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(with inputs from agencies)