Supreme Court Adjourns Hearing on Places of Worship Act

The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, due to the need for a three-judge bench. The Act's validity is contested, with claims it violates secularism and restricts certain religious rights, leading to wide-ranging legal interventions.

On Monday, the Supreme Court deferred a pivotal hearing concerning pleas challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The law safeguards the status of religious sites as they stood on August 15, 1947. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna presided over the session with Justice PV Sanjay Kumar. The bench stated the matter required a three-judge configuration, while only two judges were present, thus necessitating a future hearing.

Chief Justice Khanna commented on the myriad intervention applications lodged, expressing a need to curb excessive filings. 'We won't address the Places of Worship Act today. It's slated for a three-judge bench. Petition overload is apparent. We'll reconvene in March, and interventions must be limited,' he asserted.

Applications from entities like the Indian National Congress, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, and others were introduced against pleas assailing elements of the 1991 Act. These groups contend that addressing these challenges could unleash a torrent of litigation affecting numerous mosques nationwide. They aligned in requesting the Supreme Court dismiss the petitions challenging the law.