Politics
Places of Worship Act put to test as Gyanvapi mosque case goes to Supreme Court
The three-page legislation — The Places of Worship Act, 1991 — is at the centre of the row over videographic survey carried out at the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, where a Shivling was purportedly discovered.
The law has been invoked by the Committee of Management, Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, before the Supreme Court, saying mischievous attempts were being made to change the character of the mosque, which existed for 500 years.
In the Ayodhya judgment, the Supreme Court had said that the Act is intrinsically related to the obligations of a secular state and it reflects the commitment of India to equality of all religions.
However, in the Gyanvapi mosque matter, the Act will be put to legal scrutiny and face a test, in view of the ethos of secularism.
A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and P.S. Narasimha observed that the survey of a structure to ascertain its religious nature is not barred under the Act.
The committee moved the top court under Order 7, Rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code against the maintainability of the suit, filed by five Hindu women seeking enforcement of their right to worship Goddess Shringar Gauri and other deities inside the mosque.
The masjid committee has also questioned the appointment of a commissioner for the video survey of the mosque, as it was barred under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, and pointed at the fallout of entertaining a suit in gross violation of the provisions of the 1991 Act.
The counsel representing the masjid committee argued in the apex court that similar mischief is being attempted in connection with four-five other mosques and objected to the trial court order to protect an area which had been used for the last 500 years by Muslims as ‘wuzu khana’ (ablution pond).
The Places of Worship Act, 1991 had its own share of controversies. The then Union Home Minister, S.B. Chavan, while moving the Bill in the Lok Sabha had said that it is a measure to provide and develop our glorious traditions of love, peace and harmony.
However, the BJP, then main Opposition party, had opposed the Bill tooth and nail, and termed it as another attempt by the Congress government to appease the minorities.
The Central government notified the Act to forestall fresh claims by any community about the previous designation of any religious place of worship and also subsequent attempts to regain land, on which they stood.
The Places of Worship Act, 1991 begins by saying, “An Act to prohibit conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August, 1947, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
Section 4 of the Act says, “It is hereby declared that the religious character of a place of worship existing on the 15th day of August, 1947 shall continue to be the same as it existed on that day.”
The Section 4(2) of the Act says any suit, appeal or other proceeding with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship, existing on August 15, 1947, is pending before any court, tribunal or other authority, the same should abate, and no fresh suit or legal proceedings would be instituted.
And, the proviso to this section clarifies that only those litigations are allowed, where conversion has taken place in the religious character after August 15, 1947. The offence under the Act is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and also a monetary penalty.
According to the Act, if a person attempts to convert any place of worship, or is part of a conspiracy, she/he can face a jail term.
The Act has put the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute outside its domain of operation. However, the Supreme Court in its Ayodhya judgment cited its importance. In November 2019, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Hindu side paving the way for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The apex court had then said The Places of Worship Act is intrinsically related to the obligations of a secular state and it reflects the commitment of India to the equality of all religions.
“Above all, The Places of Worship Act is an affirmation of the solemn duty which was cast upon the state to preserve and protect the equality of all faiths as an essential constitutional value, a norm which has the status of being a basic feature of the Constitution. There is a purpose underlying the enactment of The Places of Worship Act. The law speaks to our history and to the future of the nation,” the top court had said.
The five-judge bench had said: “Historical wrongs cannot be remedied by the people taking the law in their own hands. In preserving the character of places of public worship, the Parliament has mandated in no uncertain terms that history and its wrongs shall not be used as instruments to oppress the present and the future.”
The apex court had said The Places of Worship Act imposes a non-derogable obligation towards enforcing “our commitment to secularism under the Indian Constitution and the law is hence a legislative instrument designed to protect the secular features of the Indian polity, which is one of the basic features of the Constitution”.
“Non-retrogression is a foundational feature of the fundamental constitutional principles of which secularism is a core component. The Places of Worship Act is thus a legislative intervention which preserves non-retrogression as an essential feature of our secular values,” it had said.
On May 20, 2022, the top court noted that ascertaining the religious character of a place of worship through a procedure known to the law, will not fall foul of The Places of Worship Act, 1991. The top court has shifted the trial of the suit by the Hindu parties from civil judge, senior division, to the district judge.
The top court said its May 17 interim order — protecting the ‘Shivling’, purportedly discovered during the survey, and free access to Muslims for ‘namaz’ — will remain operational for eight weeks, after the district judge’s decision in the matter, so as to allow the aggrieved parties to appeal against the decision.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the Gyanvapi case for hearing in July.
Maharashtra
Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra executive committee meeting: Public awareness on SIR is the need of the hour, should not be neglected: Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi

Mumbai, July 13: The mid-term meeting of the Executive Council of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra began at 2 pm on the second floor of Hajj House, Paltan Road under the chairmanship of Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi (President of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) and concluded at 5 pm.
The meeting began with the recitation of the Holy Quran and Naat Khawani by Mufti Mirza Kaleem Beg Nadvi (President of Jamiat Ulema Marathwada). More than one thousand members of the Executive Council from all over Maharashtra attended the meeting.
Mufti Muhammad Yusuf Qasmi (General Secretary, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) presented the Secretary’s Report and Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi (President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) delivered a detailed presidential address in which he described the methodology, procedures and history of Jamiat Ulema, describing the organization as a purely religious organization, described the services of its leaders in the independence of the country and laid special emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity and moral reform in the Muslim society to combat communalism in the current situation of the country.
In this meeting, seven proposals on various topics were presented by the officials of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra.
The proposal related to SIR was presented by Maulana Muhammad Arif Omari, Vice President of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, in which he explained the method of filling the enumeration form and drew special attention to the fact that people should not sit in their homes and wait for the BLO, but should set up camps at different places, gather people there and help the BLO fill the forms by blocking the camp.
Maulana Umari also said that keep the photo of the 2002 list from which the mapping has been done. Advocate Imran Khan attended the meeting as the special guest and in his short speech, praising the SIR proposal of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, said that it has three phases. The first phase was mapping, which has been done. The second phase is filling the enumeration form, which is ongoing.
After this, a third phase will come, which is that those whose names will not be able to appear in the electoral roll should not be disappointed, but rather it is more important to prove yourself eligible by submitting documents in a legal manner. There is no need to be afraid of this, but be mentally prepared to try to face it with courage.
Mufti Muhammad Haroon Nadvi (Vice President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) presented a proposal titled “Strengthening Democracy”, in which he explained the usefulness of the democratic system and its need in a multi-religious country like India, and said that in recent days, the brothers of the country have risen up in protest against the demolition of mosques in Rajasthan, which is a good omen for the democratic system of the country.
Qari Muhammad Idrees Ansari (Vice President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) mentioned the habit of drug abuse and its common behavior among the young generation and gave suitable solutions to overcome it.
Qari Abdul Rashid Hamidi (Vice President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) explained the harms of unnecessary use of social media and said that 16 youths have been arrested in our region of Marathwada for adopting an incautious attitude on social media and youths from several places are behind bars for commenting and liking on social media, whose cases are being investigated by the Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra Legal Department. The aid committee is fighting,
Maulana Ishtiaq Qasmi (Treasurer of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) while proposing a proposal on Hindu-Muslim unity said that Jamiat Ulema Hind has been convinced since the first day of its establishment that the country cannot progress without Hindu-Muslim unity.
Further explaining this proposal, Maulana Haleemullah Sahib Qasmi said that unity does not mean that both parties adopt each other’s religion or customs, but rather that they create a common environment of good behavior, morality and respect for the rights of their neighbors while adhering to their respective religions. For this, Jamiat Ulema Hind has formed a forum under the convenorship of Hazrat Maulana Syed Asjad Madani (Vice President of Jamiat Ulema Hind) which will run its movement in the country. It has been decided to hold a training program in Mumbai on August 27, the details of which will be informed soon.
Qari Muhammad Yunus Chaudhry (Vice Treasurer of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) proposed a proposal on the need and importance of social reform, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Nazish (Director of Religious Schools) proposed the need for religious education and Mufti Hafeezullah Qasmi (Director of the organization) emphasized the formation of new units of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra and proposed that a quarterly accountability meeting should be held in every district of the state of Maharashtra.
Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra’s executive committee meeting: Public awareness on SIR is the need of the hour, should not be neglected: Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi
Finally, one representative each from the five geographical regions of the state of Maharashtra (Mumbai and its environs, Khandesh, Vidarbha, Western Maharashtra and Marathwada) expressed their impressions about the meeting and the meeting came to an end with the prayer of the president of the meeting.
Before the meeting, there was a luncheon. The Director of the Office of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, Hafiz Muhammad Arif Ansari, Maulana Muhammad Asid Qasmi (Member of the Executive Council) and the staff of the state office carried out the arrangements with great care.
Maharashtra
‘Manhole Rail Guard’ prototype developed to protect Mumbai manholes inspected by ritu Tawde, pilot testing to be done in ‘L’ ward

Mumbai: A prototype of a rectangular shaped ‘Manhole Rail Guard’ has been developed by an organisation to enhance public safety during manhole related operations and to ensure the safety of personnel engaged in maintenance and repair work. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar personally inspected the prototype at the Municipal Corporation headquarters today (July 13, 2026). Several corporators were also present on the occasion. The process of reviewing the details of the prototype has been completed. Suggestions were given to improve its effective use. Their recommendations included making the rail guard collapsible so that its size can be easily adjusted to the dimensions of the manhole, and incorporating reflective paint or flashing lights to enhance visibility in low-light conditions. Prioritizing the safety of citizens and municipal staff, the square-shaped ‘manhole rail guard’ has been designed to be sturdy and easy to handle. Measuring 1 meter high, 1.5 meters long, and 1.5 meters wide, the rail guard is available in two weight variants of 225 kg and 80 kg to meet different operational needs and site requirements. The prototype will be deployed on a pilot basis in the ‘L’ administrative ward of Mumbai. After actual implementation in this ward, the final design of the ‘Manhole Rail Guard’ will be decided based on operational experience, technical requirements, and feedback from municipal staff and citizens. Furthermore, the municipal administration will decide whether to extend the use of this prototype to all other administrative wards of Mumbai after reviewing the insights and feedback gained during this pilot trial.
Maharashtra
State-of-the-art emergency ward and emergency medical services complex inaugurated at Nair Hospital, Mayor Ritu Tawde and other dignitaries inspected the facility

The state-of-the-art, newly constructed ‘Accident and Emergency Medical Services Complex’ at Nair Charitable Hospital, managed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and located in Mumbai Central, was inaugurated today (July 13, 2026) at Mumbai BYL.
The services were inaugurated after an inspection of the new complex and its departments in the presence of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde. Ritu Tawde, Leader of Opposition Kishori Pednekar, Samajwadi Party Group Leader and local corporator Amreen Abrhani, Improvement Committee Chairperson Scindia Doshi, Public Health Committee Chairperson Praharish Bhandarge, Women and Child Welfare Committee Chairpersons Permanent Two Days, Corporators Rohidas Lokhande and Ajay Patil, Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Ugade, Director (Medical Education and Major Hospitals) and Dean of Nair Hospital Dr Shailesh Mohte, Chief Medical Superintendent Dr Chandrakant Pawar, other dignitaries and concerned officers were present. Meanwhile, a formal inauguration ceremony was planned for the Accident and Emergency Medical Services Complex at Nair Hospital. However, the ceremony was cancelled as the central government had declared a one-day national mourning in India on July 12, 2026, following the demise of Qatar’s ‘Father Emir’ former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. On this occasion, tributes were paid to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. However, given the priority and need to start medical services, the dignitaries inspected the new complex, and the services were launched.
Information on the Casualty and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Complex at Nair Hospital
A state-of-the-art Casualty and Emergency Medical Services Department has been established at Nair Hospital to meet the minimum standard requirements prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
This is a major and important infrastructure project undertaken as part of the ‘Prime Projects Development’ under the Nair Hospital expansion project. The expansion scheme also includes an upcoming Oncology (Cancer) building, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) quarters, and an L-shaped building. The integration of a 24-hour Casualty Department and modern Emergency Medical Services enables the provision of fast, high-quality medical treatment to patients. After successful completion of construction and receipt of all statutory No Objection Certificates (NOCs), the complex was handed over to the Nair Hospital administration on 25th June 2026. This new complex paves the way for the next phase of the hospital’s development. The old Casualty Department building will now be demolished to make way for the construction of a modern, 20-storey residential complex for Resident Medical Officers (RMOs).
Phase Start of Operation
To ensure optimum patient safety and clinical efficiency, operations in this fully (centrally) air-conditioned department will commence in two separate phases. Phase 1 (Immediately Operational)In this initial phase, key medical services — such as Accident Department, Emergency Medical Services, Triage Ward, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, Surgery, and a Minor Operation Theatre (Minor OT) — have been started immediately.Phase 2 (Forthcoming)
Modern emergency diagnostic and testing services will be introduced soon.
Facility Layout and Highlights
The department is thoughtfully designed over two floors with the aim of ensuring rapid patient assessment, timely emergency treatment, and seamless administrative operations.
The ground floor is designed to facilitate rapid patient assessment and stabilization, focusing on prompt assessment, treatment, and initial diagnosis.
Administrative and Triage Center A dedicated ‘Scheme Registration Office’ is located here to streamline patient registration and initial screening. Additionally, there is a ‘Casualty Medical Officer (CMO) Room’ to handle medico-legal matters.
Specialist Consultation Rooms – This area includes separate rooms for specialists in General Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, and Orthopaedics, as well as a ‘General Examination Room’.
Emergency Treatment A fully equipped ‘Minor Operation Theatre’ (Minor OT) is available for minor emergency surgical procedures. ‘Golden Hour’ Management – An 8-bed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ward, equipped with facilities to provide intensive care during the first hour of an emergency, has been established.
Diagnostics and Safety The facility includes an X-ray room for immediate imaging and a ‘patient-free decontamination room’ for the safe decontamination of patients exposed to toxic or hazardous substances.
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