No surveys of places of worship, fresh suits till hearing ends: Supreme Court

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Surveys of places of worship cannot be conducted and no fresh suits can be registered until the validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 is decided, the Supreme Court of India said on Thursday.

The court also instructed all lower courts to not examine cases related to the surveys of places of worship or pass any orders in such matters.

The matter was taken up by a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan.

"As the matter is subjudice before this court, we deem it fit to direct that no fresh suits shall be registered or proceedings be ordered. In the pending suits courts would not pass any effective order or final orders. When a matter is pending before us, is it just and fair for any other court to examine it? We are on vires as well as ambit of the act. We have the Ram janmabhoomi case also,” the Supreme Court said.