The Indian Supreme Court on Thursday (Dec 12) restrained all courts in the country from passing any effective or interim order, including orders of survey in pending suits against existing religious structures.

The Indian Supreme Court on Thursday (Dec 12) restrained all courts in the country from passing any effective or interim order, including orders of survey in pending suits against existing religious structures. According to a report by the news agency ANI, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan ordered that no fresh suits could be registered over such claims while the court was hearing pleas challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. "As the matter is sub-judice before this court, we deem it fit to direct that while suits may be filed, no suits would be registered and proceedings undertaken till further orders of this court," the bench said. Also read | Indian Supreme Court reviews controversial remarks on Uniform Civil Code by Justice Yadav at VHP event "In the pending suits, courts would not pass any effective interim order or final orders, including orders of survey," it added. What is Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991? The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, of 1991 prohibits the conversion of the religious character of places of worship from what they were as of August 15, 1947. The pleas (in the Supreme Court) challenged the Act, saying it took away the rights of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs to restore their 'places of worship and pilgrimages', destroyed by invaders. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, India Muslim Personal Law Board, Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masjid which manages the mosque in the Gyanvapi complex, and Shahi Idgah mosque committee of Mathura, among others, also filed applications in the top court against the petitions challenging the validity of certain provisions of the 1991 law. They challenged the petitions filed by some Hindu petitioners, saying that entertaining the pleas against the Act will open floodgates of litigation against countless mosques across India. 18 suits pending against mosques or shrines in India The Supreme Court was informed on Thursday that 18 suits were currently pending in the country against 10 mosques or shrines. Also watch | Indian SC criminalises storing, watching child pornography under POCSO Act The apex court granted four weeks to the central government to file an affidavit on the batch of petitions challenging certain provisions of the Act. (With inputs from agencies)

Places of Worship Act validity: SC restrains courts from passing orders in suits against religious structures

In a setback to the Muslim side, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday (August 01) dismissed the Shahi Idgah mosque committee's plea challenging the maintainability of 18 suits filed by the deity and Hindu worshippers in the case of Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

In a setback to the Muslim side, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday (August 01) dismissed the Shahi Idgah mosque committee's plea challenging the maintainability of 18 suits filed by the deity and Hindu worshippers in the case of Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Justice Mayank Kumar Jain, who reserved the judgement on June 6, has now ruled in the plaintiff's favour and the court will resume hearing on August 12. Pronouncing the verdict in open court, Justice Jain while reading the operative part of the judgment said, that the suits of the Hindu worshippers and the deity are not barred under the Limitation Act or Places Of Worship Act, etc. The Court rejected the primary argument made by the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah (Mathura) that the suits pending before the high court are barred by the Places of Worship Act 1991, Limitation Act 1963, and Specific Relief Act 1963. The Hindu plaintiffs had argued that there is no property in Shahi Idgah's name in government records, and the same is occupied illegally. They also argued that if it is a Waqf property, then the Waqf Board should tell who donated the disputed property. Hindu plaintiffs have filed several lawsuits demanding the demolition of the Shahi Idgah mosque from the 13.37-acre complex it shares with the Katra Keshav Dev temple in Mathura, arguing that the former was constructed on the location of the destroyed Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's era. The mosque management committee and the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board argued that the lawsuits were not allowed under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This law prevents changing the religious nature of any worship place as it was on Independence Day. 'If Shahi Eidgah Masjid approaches SC, we will be present there' Vishnu Shankar Jain, the attorney representing the Hindu plaintiffs, stated that they are ready if the Shahi Idgah mosque committee decides to appeal to the Supreme Court. "Today, the Allahabad High Court has rejected the application of order 7 rule 11 filed by Shahi Eidgah Masjid and held that all these 18 suits are not barred by the Places of Worship Act...The next date of hearing is 12th August. The result is that the trials will proceed. We will file the caveat before the Supreme Court and if the Shahi Eidgah Masjid approaches the SC, we will be present there," Jain said. (With inputs from agencies)

Krishna Janmabhoomi row: Allahabad HC gives green light to Hindu suits against Shahi Idgah Mosque

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Places of Worship Act validity: SC restrains courts from passing orders in suits against religious structures

Krishna Janmabhoomi row: Allahabad HC gives green light to Hindu suits against Shahi Idgah Mosque