Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Questions Government’s Silence; Next Hearing Set for April
New Delhi: The Supreme Court postponed hearing petitions on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, until April. The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, was hearing the case. A three-judge bench had issued an interim ruling on 12 December 2024, but today’s hearing had only two judges, leading to the delay.
During the session, it was revealed that the central government had not submitted a response yet. The Supreme Court is examining petitions challenging the Act’s constitutional validity. It is also reviewing petitions, including one from Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, urging strict enforcement of the Act.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind was represented by Advocate Mansoor Ali Khan and Advocate Niaz Ahmad Farooqi. They expressed concerns over the government’s inaction and delay in responding. They stressed the importance of a timely reply, given the issue’s sensitive nature and its impact on national unity.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President, Maulana Arshad Madani, expressed satisfaction with the stay on the Act’s implementation. He argued that the decision would prevent communal forces from inciting tension. He emphasized the importance of upholding the law for national unity and condemned the extremist agenda of these forces. Madani also criticized lower courts’ decisions for escalating the situation.
Section 4 of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, mandates that the religious character of places of worship must remain unchanged as it was on 15 August 1947. On 12 December 2024, the Supreme Court issued an order banning new cases or surveys related to places of worship. It also directed no interim or final rulings in pending cases. Since then, attempts by communal forces targeting mosques and dargahs have been restricted. However, these forces continue to target such places, making a final decision on this matter more urgent. All influential figures, including the government, must unite on this issue.
