Places of Worship Act, 1991.

Why in news?

• Recently, Supreme Court asked the Centre to respond to a plea challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.

What is the law about?

• Passed in 1991 , the law seeks to maintain the “religious character” of places of worship as it was in 1947 — except in the case of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which was already in court.
• Sections 3 and 4 of the Act declare that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination into one of a different denomination or section.
• Section 4(2) says that all suits, appeals or other proceedings regarding converting the character of a place of worship, that were pending on August 15, 1947, will stand abated when the Act commences and no fresh proceedings can be filed.
• Apart from Ayodhya , the Act also exempted:
  • Any place of worship that is an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site, or is covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958;
  • A suit that has been finally settled or disposed of
  • Any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced.
• In the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, the Constitution Bench led by former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi referred to the law and said it manifests the secular values of the Constitution and strictly prohibits retrogression.

Prelims Question

Consider the following regarding Places of worship act, 1991:
1.It seeks to maintain the status of places of worship in the country as it was on the eve of independence.
2.The act exempted Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute from its ambit.
Choose the correct statements from the codes given below:
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question