New Delhi: Shahi Masjid Eidgah Committee, Mathura has moved the Supreme Court assailing centre for delay in filing its response to the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Places of Worship Act, 19991 and closing its right to file the response.
The Masjid Committed, in its plea has accused the Centre of deliberately not filing its response to the pleas challenging the 1991 law.
Centre deliberately not filing its reply: Masjid Committee
The Masjid Committee has said that the Centre “is deliberately not filing its counter-affidavit/reply vis-a-vis the challenge to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, with the intention to delay the hearing of the present writ petition and the connected writ petitions” and “ thereby obstructing those who are opposing the challenge to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 in filing their respective written submissions/responses, as the stand of the Union of India would have a bearing on the same.”
The Masjid Committee has further said that hearing into the pleas and cross-pleas is scheduled to be heard by the apex court on February 17 and it would be in the interest of justice if the right of the Centre to file its reply is closed.
Apex court is seized of several pleas on Places of Worship Act
The apex court is seized of of several pleas challenging constitutional validity of the 1991 law, including Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay and former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy.
Several pleas for impleadment into the matter were earlier also filed challenging the pleas filed against the 1991 law, including pleas filed by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Gyanvapi Mosque Management Committee, Varanasi, CPI (M) through politburo member Prakash Karat and others.
Recently Congress party moved apex court in support of 1991 law
Recently, the Indian National Congress moved the top court seeking to oppose pleas challenging the 1991 law, submitting any alterations to the Places of Worship Act could jeopardize communal harmony and secular fabric of India and threaten the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
The top court, while hearing several pleas and cross-pleas on December 12 last year, restrained all courts in the country from passing any interim or final orders on pending pleas seeking to reclaim religious places.
