New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear petitions related to the 1991 Places of Worship Act on Monday. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan is hearing a batch of petitions both in favour and against the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of August 15, 1947, which seeks to maintain the religious character of all places of worship, except the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid.
The main petition was filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyaya against certain provisions of the 1991 Act. The apex court had agreed to hear a petition filed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on January 2, seeking strict implementation of the Act.
The Chief Justice’s bench, which intervened in various petitions related to this law, had on December 12 stayed all proceedings, including the admission of petitions claiming rights over Muslim mosques and dargahs. The stay is pending until an interim order or final judgment is pronounced on the petitions regarding the law.
There are 18 cases in the courts by various Hindu organizations seeking a survey to determine the religious nature of 10 mosques, including Gyanvapi in Varanasi, Shahi Eidgah Masjid in Mathura, and Shahi Juma Masjid in Sambhal. Further proceedings in all of these have been stayed.
The court said that the main dispute is regarding sections three and four of the 1991 Act. Section three deals with the conversion of a place of worship. Section four includes the declaration of religious nature and the legal powers of the courts.
