Supreme Court to Examine Stay Orders on Challenges to the Places of Worship Act

The Supreme Court of India is currently reviewing petitions that contest the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which preserves the existing status of places of worship as of August 15, 1947.

In the case known as Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India, the Court issued a temporary order on December 12, 2024, that prohibits the filing of new suits and surveys related to contested sites, such as the Gyanvapi Mosque and Mathura’s Shahi Idgah.

New petitions are requesting the lifting of this stay, advocating for the continuation of legal actions. The Court is scheduled to address this issue on February 17, 2025, in light of various political influences.