Mathura mosque panel accuses Centre of delaying response on 1991 worship law
Mathura mosque panel accuses Centre of delaying response on 1991 worship law
M.U.H
22/01/202510
Mathura's Shahi Masjid Committee moved the Supreme Court on Monday accusing the Centre of deliberately not filing response in the Places of Worship case.
In a plea filed in the Supreme Court, the mosque committee sought directions from the court to remove the Centre's right to reply to the petitions, so that the case can proceed.
It argued that the Centre was deliberately not filing its reply and was "obstructing those who are opposing the challenge to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 in filing their respective written submissions/responses".
The committee has said that it’s an intervenor in a batch of pleas and is responsible for the management of the Shahi Masjid Eidgah, in Mathura, which is the subject of 17 suits being heard by the Allahabad High Court.
It pointed out that the Supreme Court had granted four weeks' time to the Centre to file a response on December 12 last year, but it had failed to do so. It further said that the Centre was first issued notice in March 2021 and had been granted multiple extensions, but it was yet to file a response.
Notably, while the Supreme Court sought the Centre's response to the batch of petitions last month, it also ordered that the surveys of places of worship cannot be conducted, and no fresh suits can be registered until the validity of the law is decided.
It also instructed all lower courts to not examine cases related to the survey of places of worship or pass any orders in such matters.
The Places of Worship Act prohibits conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.
