SC refuses new pleas in Places of Worship Act case

The Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure over piles of new petitions filed in the matter involving the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which stops a lawsuit from being filed to reclaim a place of worship or change its character. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the matter will be heard by a three-judge bench.The court, however, has allowed the filing of an intervention petition with additional grounds though it refused to issue notice on the new petitions filed so far. The Supreme Court's tough remarks came as it continued hearing petitions on the validity of the Places of Worship Act, which assumes significance in view of the legal efforts to reclaim demolished Hindu temples.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, during a hearing on Monday morning said,"There has to be an end to this" and asserted that the Supreme Court will not hear any new petition in this matter."We might not be able to take it up", the CJI said when senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for a litigant, mentioned a fresh plea for hearing during the day. "We are constrained to pass this order after taking note of the number of fresh petitions filed. The pending writ petitions, which have no notices, stand dismissed with liberty to file an application raising additional grounds, if any," the bench said. The top court, through its December 12, 2024 order, effectively stalled proceedings in about 18 lawsuits filed by various Hindu parties seeking a survey to ascertain the original religious character of 10 mosques, including Gyanvapi at Varanasi, Shahi Idgah Masjid at Mathura and Shahi Jama Masjid, at Sambhal where four people died in clashes.