No new cases, orders or inquiries until we decide the pleas against the Places of Worship Act: SC | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said that no new cases challenging the religious character of structures can be registered until it decides on the validity of the Places of Worship Act, 1991. In the important order, the top court also ordered all courts barred from issuing any effective interim or final orders, including guidelines for investigations, in ongoing cases involving existing cases religious structures.
“We deem it appropriate to direct that no new cases shall be registered or that no proceedings shall be ordered. In the pending cases, no effective interim orders or final orders, including orders of inquiry, can be issued by civil courts until the next hearing,” a court spokesperson said. bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna observed.
A three-judge bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan heard a series lawsuits of general interest (PILs) questioning the validity of some provisions of the law Places of Worship Act 1991.
The Supreme Court was told that there are currently 18 cases pending against 10 mosques and shrines across the country.
The court also gave the central government four weeks to file an affidavit in response to a batch of petitions challenging specific provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
The outcome of the case could impact ongoing lawsuits filed by Hindu plaintiffs seeking rights to properties containing Islamic mosques, based on claims that these mosques were built over ancient temples.
These cases include disputes involving the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, the Shahi Eidgah Masjid in Mathura and the Ajmer Dargah in Rajasthan. Muslim parties have challenged the validity of such lawsuits, citing the Places of Worship Act.
What is the law in places of worship?
The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 prohibits the conversion of places of worship and provides for the preservation of the religious character as it existed on August 15, 1947. However, the law made an exception for the Ram Janmabhoomi site, which formed the foundation of the 2019 Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya case, awarding the disputed land in Ayodhya to the child god Ram Lalla.
What do petitions say?
Petitions allege that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act was arbitrary, alleging that: A) There was no valid justification for setting August 15, 1947 as the deadline B) There is no logical connection between India’s political independence, the formation of the Republic and the handling of the civilizational conflict arising from the colonial suppression of Hindu identity and the cultural dominance imposed by Muslim invaders.