Supreme Court to Review Controversial Places of Worship Act

On December 12, the Supreme Court of India will hear petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Places of Worship Act, 1991. Critics argue that the Act violates the rights of certain religious communities to reclaim and manage their sacred sites. Opponents fear the potential for a surge in litigation.

In a move poised to spark widespread debate, the Supreme Court of India will hear a series of petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991 on December 12. This legislation, which has remained contentious since its inception, forbids legal actions aimed at reclaiming or altering the status of religious sites as they stood on August 15, 1947.

A special judicial bench, spearheaded by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna alongside Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Vishwanathan, will oversee the matter. Petitioners, including members of the Kashi Royal Family, political figures, and religious leaders, argue that the Act unjustly strips Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh communities of their rights to restore spiritual and cultural sites affected by historical conquests.

The Act's opponents, such as Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the India Muslim Personal Law Board, caution against potential destabilization, indicating that revisiting the law might unleash legal challenges against numerous sites across India. Meanwhile, the petitions contest key sections of the Act, claiming they undermine constitutional principles of secularism and block access to judicial recourse.

(With inputs from agencies.)