1991 Places Of Worship Law : The Supreme Court has agreed to consider the petition of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi seeking implementation of the 1991 Places Of Worship Law. The court tagged Owaisi's petition on the Places of Worship Law with pending cases and said that it will be heard on February 17.

Demand to maintain law like 15 August 1947

This law calls for maintaining the religious character of a place as it was on August 15, 1947. AIMIM chief and MP Owaisi filed the petition through advocate Fuzail Ahmed Ayyubi on December 17, 2024. Acting on similar petitions against the 1991 law, a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna had barred all courts from considering new cases related to reclaiming religious places and passing any interim or final order in pending cases.

The Places of Worship Act, 1991 prohibits the alteration of the religious character of any place of worship and provides for its maintenance as it was on August 15, 1947. In his plea, Owaisi has sought a direction to the Centre to ensure effective implementation of the law, the AIMIM chief's counsel said.

He also cited instances where several courts had ordered a survey of mosques on the petition of Hindu litigants. The apex court today tagged Owaisi's petition with pending cases for hearing. It will now be heard on February 17.