The Supreme Court will hear multiple pleas on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, on February 17. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, will oversee the matter.
The 1991 Act prohibits altering the religious character of places of worship as they stood on August 15, 1947, except for the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. Several petitions challenge its validity, while others seek strict enforcement to maintain communal harmony.
On December 12, the court halted proceedings in about 18 lawsuits filed by Hindu groups seeking surveys of mosques, including Gyanvapi in Varanasi and Shahi Idgah in Mathura. A January 2 plea by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi calls for the law’s effective implementation.
The key legal debate centres on Sections 3 and 4, which bar conversion and define religious character while limiting court jurisdiction. Muslim parties, including the Gyanvapi mosque committee, oppose petitions challenging the law’s constitutionality, citing longstanding disputes over multiple mosques and shrines.
