Ajmer Sharif Dargah: AIMPLB Urges Supreme Court to Enforce Places of Worship Act Amid Mosque Claim Disputes

Ajmer Sharif Dargah: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has called for the Supreme Court's intervention in the ongoing legal battles over claims on mosques and dargahs across the country. In a statement issued, the AIMPLB urged Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, to take suo-motu cognizance of these claims and halt hearings in lower courts. The board has underlined the need for proper enforcement of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which prohibits the alteration of the religious character of any place of worship as it stood on August 15, 1947.

This responsibility of enforcement of such law was cast upon both central and state governments in the hope that they could work to bring about prevention of any probable upheaval or explosive situations in different corners of the country. Should they not implement it, warned AIMPLB, great unrest may break out which would come upon the SC and government themselves.

Syed Qasim Ilyas, spokesperson AIMPLB expressed deep concern over the number of claims that are being made in courts across the country on mosques and dargahs. He said these claims were absolutely baseless and were mockery both of law and Constitution. He reasserted that under the Places of Worship Act no claim can alter the status of any religious place as it existed on August 15, 1947, and such claims should be dismissed.

Court notice on Ajmer Sharif Dargah claim

Recently, a local court issued a notice regarding a claim that the Ajmer Sharif Dargah houses a Shiva temple. The court agreed to hear the case and issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for their response.