New Delhi, February 17: The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, to April. The Act maintains the status of religious places as of August 15, 1947.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, along with Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, scheduled the hearing for the week beginning April 1, stating that the case requires a three-judge bench. Expressing concern over the rising number of petitions, CJI Khanna remarked that intervention applications should have limits.
The court also clarified that all fresh petitions in the case stand dismissed, though petitioners can file applications raising new grounds within the pending matter. Several political and religious organizations, including the Indian National Congress, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and the Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, have opposed the pleas, arguing that allowing these petitions could lead to widespread litigation against religious sites.
The petitions challenge Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Act, alleging violations of secularism, fundamental rights, and the right to judicial remedy. The Act prohibits altering the religious nature of places of worship, with strict penalties for violations. In December, the court had restrained all lower courts from passing any orders or allowing fresh suits related to religious structures while the case is under review.
Petitioners, including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and members of the Kashi Royal Family, argue that the Act deprives Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs of the right to reclaim their religious sites destroyed by invaders. They also question why Lord Rama’s birthplace is exempt from the Act while Lord Krishna’s is not.
