Fresh plea challenging Places of Worship Act 1991 filed in Supreme Court

Places of Worship Act 1991: A fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Constitutional validity of certain sections of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991. The petition filed by a religious leader Swami Jeetendranand Saraswati, challenges the religious worship act saying that it violates the principles of secularism and rule of law.

The petition contended that the Religious Worship Act 1991 has some special provisions that are unconstitutional for many other religions. The plea comes amid the ongoing controversies surrounding the Mosques in Varanasi and Mathura.

In the Gyanvapi Masjid Case, the Muslim side had approached the Supreme Court contending that conducting the videography survey of the complex is a violation of the Places of Worship Act 1991. The site also pointed out that Section 4 of the act prohibits the filing of any suit or initiating any legal proceeding on the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship, as existing on August 15, 1947. The case hearing was transferred by the Supreme Court to the Varanasi District Court Judge on May 20th saying that it will be better if a senior judicial officer with an experience of over 25-30 years handles the case.

READ ALSO: What is Religious Worship Act 1991? Know Key Clauses/ Penalty

What is the Places of Worship Act?

• The Places of Worship Act 1991 prohibits conversion of any place of worship and provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. The act applies to the whole of India except for Jammu and Kashmir.
• It bars conversion of places of worship stating that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination or any section thereof into a place of worship of a different section of the same religious denomination or of a different religious denomination or any section thereof.
• It states that the religious character of a place of worship existing on August 15, 1947 shall continue to be the same as it existed on that day.
• It also bars the filing of suits in the courts raising any dispute over the character of such places of worship.

A fresh plea filed in SC challenging the Constitutional validity of certain sections of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991, saying it barefacedly violates the principles of secularism & rule of law

Plea filed by Swami Jeetendranand Saraswati, a religious leader

— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2022

What does the Places of Worship Act protect?

The Places of Worship Act 1991 Act aims to protect the status of all religious structures as they stood on August 15, 1947. It did not apply to Ram Janma Bhumi-Babri Masjid dispute. 

READ More about Places of Worship Act 1991 Here

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