North News
New Delhi, December 12
The Supreme Court has temporarily paused all surveys of places of worship and barred the registration of new suits until it determines the validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The 1991 law, which prohibits altering the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947, is being challenged in a batch of petitions. The court directed the Union Government to file its response within four weeks and restrained lower courts from issuing any orders or proceeding with related cases, the news outlet India Today reported.
The three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, emphasized that the sub-judice nature of the matter necessitated this directive. Referring to the ongoing debates on the law’s constitutionality, the bench stated, “When a matter is pending before us, is it just and fair for any other court to examine it?”, the news outlet said.
The stay includes cases linked to disputed sites like the Gyanvapi Mosque, Mathura Shahi Idgah, and Sambhal Masjid. The court’s intervention follows communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal last month, where a mosque survey led to violent confrontations, leaving five dead.
This pause will remain in place until the government submits its stance on the act’s provisions, and the Supreme Court resumes its hearing on the matter. Six petitions, including one from BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, were heard.
