SC grants Centre more time to respond to pleas challenging Places of Worship (Special Provision) Act, 1991

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today granted more time to the Central government to respond to the batch of petitions challenging certain provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provision) Act, 1991.

The provisions prohibit the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala asked the Centre to file an affidavit by the 12th of next month and posted the matter for the first week of January next year. The court adjourned the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought more time to file an affidavit in the case. The pleas challenged the Places of Worship Act saying that the Act takes away the rights of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs to restore their places of worship and pilgrimages.