Former Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud clarified that the Ayodhya case was decided on legal principles and evidence, not faith. Speaking at the India Today Conclave on Thursday, Chandrachud addressed remarks he had made to a media portal about the "erection of the Babri Masjid being a fundamental act of desecration," stating they were taken out of context and misrepresented his views on the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid dispute. He criticized social media for combining parts of statements while removing context, leading to widespread misinterpretation.

Highlighting the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, Chandrachud noted that many online commentators had not read the full 1,045-page verdict, which was based on a case record exceeding 30,000 pages. He emphasized that forming opinions without reviewing the complete judgment is easy but misleading.

On the question of personal faith in the context of judicial neutrality, he explained that judges often face conflicts and that his daily prayers or meditation help him maintain peace and balance. He stressed that personal belief does not interfere with the ability to remain impartial, and quiet reflection supports fair decision-making.

The Ayodhya dispute was resolved on November 9, 2019, when a five-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and including Justices Chandrachud, S.A. Bobde, Ashok Bhushan, and S. Abdul Nazeer, issued a unanimous verdict. The court directed that Hindus could build a Ram temple on the disputed site while Muslims were allotted five acres to construct a mosque. The bench also instructed the Central Government to form a trust within three months to regulate the construction and administration of the temple.