Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had petitioned the court for restoring criminal charges against the BJP leaders for demolishing Mughal-era mosque on December 6, 1992.
Senior members of India's ruling party, including a government minister, will be tried for their alleged involvement in the demolition of a 16th-century mosque 25 years ago, a flashpoint in modern Indian history that triggered religious riots in which almost 2,000 people died.
The CBI had moved the top court against May 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict dropping conspiracy charge against the eight senior Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders.
It also rejected the contention of Advani and Joshi against clubbing of their cases, being tried at the Rae Bareilly court, with those of the unknown karsevaks going on in a court in Lucknow.
Kalyan Singh, who was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh at the time, will not face any trial for now as he currently occupies the post of Governor of Rajasthan and hence enjoys constitutional immunity.
And in doing so, the apex court has also set a mammoth task for the trial court, which it served a deadline of two years to finish the long-standing case. The case shall not be adjourned on any ground except when the Sessions Court finds it impossible to carry on the trial for that particular date.
Both Advani and Joshi had opposed the top court taking recourse to Article 142 for transferring the trial to Lucknow and revival of the conspiracy charge.
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The BJP leader asserted that she was "proud, unapologetic" and does not repent her role in the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign.
The comments were made hours after BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly reassured Mr Advani that "the party is with you".
The supreme court Judges ordered to conduct hearing on daily basis until a verdict is delivered within two years.
The agency claims Advani and other BJP leaders met the night before the mosque was brought down and decided that it would be razed, which makes the alleged demolition a pre-meditated, deliberate event.
Unfazed by the apex court order that she be tried for "conspiracy" in the case, Union minister Bharti today said she is ready to sacrifice her life for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
"Why should leaders like Uma Bharti resign from Union Minister position, these all are baseless charges", BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao told a news channel. This would change with the judgment rendered by the Supreme Court today. Indian court cases typically drag on for years.
"There are hundreds of witnesses in the case and now all of them will have to be re-examined", said IB Singh, a senior lawyer who cross-examined Advani for the official enquiry into the Babri demolition.
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