In a landmark ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court of India ordered trial courts around the country to abstain from issuing direct orders or surveying existing religious structures in cases where their religious nature is contested. During the hearing of a series of petitions contesting provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, a bench consisting of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, Justices PV Sanjay Kumar, and KV Viswanathan issued the interim order. The establishment of such lawsuits is specifically forbidden by the Act of 1991. According to this clause, a place of worship that was established on August 15, 1947, will maintain its religious identity.
The Court ruled that lawsuits contesting the religious nature of structures—many of which have surfaced in courts throughout the nation—cannot be heard until the 1991 law’s legality has been determined. Eleven holy sites in all are presently the subject of legal disputes in various Indian courts. Seven of these eleven locations are in Uttar Pradesh.
The key sites involved:-
1.Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath dispute: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Case title: Rakhi Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors and other connected petitions.
2.Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute: Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
Case Title: Bhagwan Shrikrishna Virajman at Katra Keshav Dev & Ors v UP Sunni Central Waqf Board & Ors
3.Shahi Jama Masjid: Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh
Case Title: Hari Shankar Jain v UOI & Ors
4.Ajmer Sharif Dargah: Ajmer, Rajasthan
Case Title: Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman & Ors v Dargah Committee Khawaja Sahab & Ors
5.Teelay Wali Masjid: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Case Title: Lord Sheshnagesht Teeleshwar Mahadev Virajman Ors v Union of India & Ors
6.Atala Masjid: Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
Case Title: Swaraj Vahini Association Bhadkhil Tehsil Madiahu Dist Jaunour Jariye Santosh Kumar v Peace Committee Jama Masjid (Atala Masjid) Bajriye Committee Sadar
7.Shamshi Masjid: Badaun, Uttar Pradesh
Case Title: Bhagwan Shri Neelkanth Mahadev Mahakal (Ishan Shiv Mandir) v Inrzamiya Committee tathakathit Jamiya Masjid (Jama Masjid Shamshi)
8.Jama Masjid and Dargah Shaikh Salim Chishti, Fatehpur Sikri: Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Case Title: Shri Bhagwan Shri Kamakhya Mata Alias Kamakhya Devi v UP Sunni Central Waqf Board & Ors
9.Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque: Qutub Minar, New Delhi
Case Title: Jitender Singh v UOI Tirthankar and Lord Rishabh Dev Through next friend Hari Shankar Jain v UOI
10.Kamal Maula Mosque: Bhojshala Complex, Madhya Pradesh
Case Title: Hindu Front for Justice v Union of India and Ors