SC Tags Owaisi’s Plea on Places of Worship Law, Hearing on February 17
The Supreme Court on Thursday tagged Asaduddin Owaisi’s petition regarding the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, with several other pending cases related to the law. The petition, filed by the AIMIM chief on December 17, 2024, seeks the strict enforcement of the Act, which aims to preserve the religious character of all places of worship as they stood on August 15, 1947, except for the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya due to ongoing litigation.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar directed that Owaisi’s plea be heard along with other related cases, including challenges to the Act’s validity and petitions advocating for its strict enforcement. These cases are set to be heard on February 17.
Owaisi’s petition, filed through advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, emphasizes the need to prevent any alteration of religious sites and calls for effective implementation of the 1991 law. The court also noted that other petitions, including those filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, are already pending in connection with the Act.
By tagging Owaisi’s petition with these matters, the Supreme Court aims to consolidate the cases and address them collectively in the upcoming hearing. The ruling on this issue could have significant implications for the legal framework surrounding religious sites in India.
