Places of Worship Act: SC halts new suits, court orders on religious sites

In a long-awaited succour, the Supreme Court on Thursday restrained all courts across the country from passing any effective interim or final order including that of surveys in pending suits staking a claim over existing religious structures.

- PARMOD KUMAR

Asking the Central government to file its response to the petitions before the court on the matter, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice K V Viswanathan also ordered that no fresh suits can be registered making claims over other religious places while the court is hearing cross-petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Section 3 and 4 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 and others seeking "effective and proper" enforcement of the 1991 law.