Supreme Court to Hear Challenges to Places of Worship Act Amid Government's Delay in Filing Response

New Delhi- The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear challenges to the Places of Worship Act, 1991 on February 17, but the Central government has yet to submit its counter affidavit on the matter. The case will be heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, along with Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan.

The Mathura Shahi Masjid Eidgah committee recently filed an application arguing that the government's right to file a reply should be terminated, as it appears to be deliberately delaying the process. The committee noted that despite the court's December 2024 order giving the Centre four weeks to file its response, no action has been taken. This delay has been ongoing for over three years since the initial challenges to the Act were filed.

The 1991 Act prevents legal claims seeking to change the religious character of places of worship from their status as of August 15, 1947. One of the main petitions challenging the Act, filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, argues that the law infringes on fundamental rights and exceeds the Centre's legislative authority since religious places fall under state jurisdiction. The Supreme Court has currently ordered that no new suits be registered under this Act and no final orders be passed in pending cases until further notice.