Supreme Court Halts New Suits on Religious Sites Until Key Law is Reviewed

India's Supreme Court issues an interim order restricting lower courts from admitting cases or passing orders tied to the Places of Worship Act, 1991, as its constitutionality faces scrutiny.

The Supreme Court has barred lower courts from registering new suits or issuing orders related to disputes over religious sites until it rules on challenges to the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
The 1991 Act preserves the status of religious sites as they were on August 15, 1947, barring changes to their character, with the exception of the Ayodhya site.
Petitioners argue the Act violates constitutional rights by preventing Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs from reclaiming or managing religious sites allegedly altered during historical invasions.
Opponents, including Muslim organizations, warn that overturning the Act could destabilize communal harmony and undermine India's secular framework.
The court has directed the Union government to clarify its stance on the Act within four weeks, following years of delayed responses to mounting legal challenges.