3-Judge SC bench to hear pleas against places of worship act

New Delhi: A three-judge Supreme Court bench will hear petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, on October 11.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit on Friday observed that although a division bench of the court had issued notice in the case, no reply was filed by the central government. The court directed all the parties involved to complete the pleadings.

It granted two weeks to the Centre to file a reply and another week for rejoinder. The SC also allowed applications by the Royal Family of Kashi and Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind to intervene in the matter.


In the instant batch of petitions, the plea by BJP spokesman Ashwini Upadhyay argues that the Act allows "illegal acts of invaders to continue for perpetuity" by barring legal remedies to Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.

Upadhyay had contended that the Centre has, without resolution of the disputes through the process of the law, abated the suit/proceedings, which is 'per se' unconstitutional and beyond its law-making power.