CRPF jawans in Allahabad on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday’s Ayodhya verdict. (PTI)

Lucknow, Sept. 28: Justice Dharam Veer Sharma today remained poker-faced in court about the quashing of the Ayodhya deferment plea, but lawyers feared Thursday’s title suit verdict could remain inconclusive if he does not spell out his stand clearly.

Justice Sharma, who had struck a dissenting note three days before the original September 24 verdict date and pitched for mediation, appeared reconciled to delivering the verdict, sources said. For a while, Allahabad High Court had rung out with rumours that he could opt out at the last minute.

“We won’t be surprised if one verdict comes with an inconclusive order and two others contradict each other,” said Ajai Sharma, a senior advocate. “With one verdict going nowhere, two opposing verdicts from the two other judges might result in a stalemate.”

Although Justice Sharma, who retires on October 1, kept all guessing about his next step, sources said they were not aware of him mulling any pullout. He held a meeting with Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice S.U. Khan this afternoon before making a joint announcement that the verdict would be delivered at 3.30pm on Thursday.

“As we’ve all been saying, the order of this bench would be the first verdict on the title suits and an appeal is likely in the Supreme Court by the disgruntled party. But the entire legal fraternity is wondering what would be the nature of the verdict,” said S.K. Gupta, another advocate.

Sources in Allahabad High Court said all three judges “were ready” with their verdict in the 60-year-old case, expected to run into over 8,000 pages. But the “operative part would be about five pages”, they said, and 18 advocates representing various parties would be handed copies immediately after the judgment is delivered.

“A special website — www.allahabadhighcourt.in/ayodhyabench.html — will be made available on which the gist of the issues, the operational part of the order and the final judgment will be made available,” the registrar of the Lucknow bench said.

Entry to the courtroom, where the judgment will be delivered, will be restricted to parties to the suit and their lawyers who will be given special passes. Mobile phones will not be allowed in the courtroom.

Soon after the Supreme Court order, chief minister Mayavati flew back to Lucknow from Delhi to hold an emergency meeting with Uttar Pradesh DGP, Karamveer Singh. She appealed to people to maintain peace and warned that disruptive elements would be dealt with sternly.

Security personnel deployed in Ayodhya and on the Allahabad High Court premises were put on alert after some communal elements began distributing hate-campaign leaflets.

Two companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary staged a flag march near Allahabad High Court. About 52 companies of central paramilitary forces were posted in sensitive places across the state.

Mohammed Hashim Ansari, 90, the oldest litigant in the case, expressed “a great sense of relief for Muslims and Hindus across the country” after the Supreme Court verdict.

“I feel the entire country would be happy with the decision. We all wanted a verdict as we have been waiting for this for decades,” he said over phone from Ayodhya.

“The decision by the Supreme Court will definitely help in ending the uncertainty over the issue. I appeal to all members of both communities to ensure that Hindu-Muslim unity is maintained.”