SC Refuses Fresh Pleas in Places of Worship Act Case, Sets Hearing for April

The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing on multiple pleas challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, to the first week of April. A bench led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed that the matter be heard by a three-judge bench.

Expressing frustration over the influx of fresh petitions, the court dismissed new pleas without prior notice, allowing applications only if they raised new legal points. The 1991 law mandates maintaining the religious character of places as of August 15, 1947, except for the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

Several Hindu groups have sought to challenge Sections 3 and 4 of the Act, arguing it denies judicial remedies for reclaiming religious sites. Meanwhile, Muslim organizations and political leaders, including AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Samajwadi Party’s Iqra Choudhary, have urged strict implementation to preserve communal harmony.

Previously, on December 12, 2024, the court paused proceedings in 18 lawsuits concerning sites like the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah in Mathura. The court reaffirmed that all arguments on the validity of the Act will be addressed comprehensively in April.