Supreme Court Defers Key Hearing on 1991 Places of Worship Act

The Supreme Court has postponed a pivotal hearing concerning the Places of Worship Act of 1991 until April. This Act maintains the status quo of religious sites from 1947. The court expressed concern over the increasing number of petitions and emphasized a three-judge bench is required for deliberation.

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred to April the hearing of challenges against the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991. This Act was established to preserve the religious character of sites as they stood on August 15, 1947. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar announced this decision, indicating that the review requires a three-judge bench.

CJI Khanna noted that the current two-judge bench cannot handle the matter, which is increasingly burdened with petitions and applications related to the Act. He mentioned the necessity to erect limits on such filings, as the case continues to attract numerous intervention applications and similar writ petitions.

Subsequently, the court clarified that all new petitions would be dismissed, but allowed for fresh applications on new grounds within the ongoing case. Several organizations, including political and religious groups, have lodged applications opposing the initial petitions challenging the Act's validity, forewarning a potential floodgate of litigations targeting religious sites if the Act is overturned.