The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain any new petitions related to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna expressing strong displeasure over the increasing number of fresh pleas in the matter.
“There is a limit to which petitions can be filed. Enough is enough. There has to be an end to this,” remarked CJI Khanna while making it clear that the apex court would not allow additional petitions on the subject. However, the court has permitted the filing of intervention applications if they introduce new legal grounds. The case is now scheduled to be heard by a three-judge bench in the first week of April.
Understanding Places of Worship Act
Enacted in 1991, the law prohibits the conversion of religious places and mandates that their character remain as it was on August 15, 1947. The only exception to this law was the Ayodhya dispute, which led to the Supreme Court’s historic judgment in 2019.
Several Hindu groups have challenged the Act, arguing that it unfairly restricts legal remedies for reclaiming religious sites that were allegedly converted in the past. On the other hand, opposition parties, including Congress and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, have moved the Supreme Court seeking strict enforcement of the law to prevent legal actions targeting mosques and dargahs.
Supreme Court’s stand and key arguments
In 2023, the Supreme Court paused proceedings on 18 lawsuits filed by Hindu petitioners seeking surveys of 10 mosques, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and Shahi Idgah in Mathura. However, fresh petitions continued to be filed, prompting CJI Khanna’s stern remarks on Monday.
During the hearing, senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing the petitioners, pointed out that the Centre had yet to submit its response. Meanwhile, the Gyanvapi Mosque management committee opposed the petitions, warning that allowing them could lead to widespread lawsuits against other protected mosques.
With the Supreme Court deferring the case to April, all eyes are on the Centre’s response, which will play a crucial role in determining the future course of the legal battle over religious sites in India.
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