The Supreme Court of India has temporarily halted all surveys of places of worship while deliberating on petitions challenging specific provisions of the Places of Worship Act, 1991. In its directive issued on Thursday, the apex court instructed lower courts across the country to refrain from admitting new cases or issuing orders related to mosque surveys until further notice.
“No orders for surveys or any other substantive directions should be issued in existing cases,” the court declared during its initial hearing on the matter.
The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, enacted in 1991, is designed to preserve the religious character of all places of worship as they were on August 15, 1947, and prohibits their conversion.
The petitions before the Supreme Court argue that the Act infringes upon the rights of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs to reclaim their historical places of worship and pilgrimage sites, which they claim were destroyed or altered in the past.
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A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan stated, “We are examining the validity, scope, and implications of the 1991 law concerning places of worship.”
Centre Asked to Respond Within Four Weeks
The court has directed the central government to file its response to these petitions within four weeks. Following the government’s reply, other involved parties will have an additional four weeks to submit their rejoinders. Once this process is complete, the bench will proceed with the hearings.
The court has also allowed various stakeholders, including Muslim organizations, to intervene in the case and present their perspectives.
Among the six petitions under consideration is one filed by Ashwini Upadhyay, who has called for the annulment of Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Places of Worship Act. Petitioners contend that these provisions restrict the right to judicial recourse for reclaiming religious sites.
The next hearing will delve deeper into the constitutional validity and broader implications of the Act, with the bench emphasizing its commitment to a thorough review of the law and its contested provisions.