Thu Jan 02 04:00:38 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court to Hear Plea on 1991 Places of Worship Law
**New Delhi, January 2, 2025** – The Supreme Court will hear a plea on Thursday from AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi urging the implementation of the 1991 Places of Worship Act. The Act maintains the religious character of places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947.
Owaisi’s plea, filed on December 17, 2024, follows a December 12th Supreme Court order that restrained all courts from entertaining new suits or passing orders on pending cases seeking to reclaim religious places. This effectively stalled around 18 lawsuits filed by Hindu groups seeking surveys of mosques, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah Masjid in Mathura.
These lawsuits challenge the 1991 Act, arguing it infringes on the right to judicial remedy for reclaiming places of worship. Owaisi’s plea contends that several courts have already ordered mosque surveys despite the 1991 law, and seeks a directive to the central government for its effective implementation.
The Gyanvapi Mosque management committee has also approached the Supreme Court, opposing pending petitions challenging the 1991 Act, arguing that these petitions are intended to circumvent the law’s protection of religious sites. The court is expected to consolidate Owaisi’s plea with the existing cases for hearing. The matter involves a complex interplay of legal challenges and competing claims regarding the historical and religious status of several prominent mosques.
First Piper 