Supreme Court to Revisit 1991 Places of Worship Act

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's plea for effective implementation of the 1991 Places of Worship law. The plea seeks to maintain the religious character of places as of August 15, 1947, amidst ongoing petitions challenging the law’s provisions.

The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to investigate a plea by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi concerning the enactment of the 1991 Places of Worship law. The legislation upholds the religious status of sites as they stood on August 15, 1947.

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar announced that Owaisi's plea would be consolidated with existing cases and scheduled for a hearing on February 17. The plea calls for the law to be stringently enforced amid rising disputes.

Owaisi filed his plea through advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, challenging recent court orders to survey contentious sites. These surveys sparked tension as various lawsuits aim to reclaim places of worship, risking sectarian conflict across the nation.

(With inputs from agencies.)