The Supreme Court on Monday (February 17) deferred the hearing of multiple petitions related to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, scheduling the matter for the week commencing April 1.

The case, earlier being heard by a three-judge bench, was listed today before a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, leading to its adjournment.

The petitions before the court include one set challenging the constitutional validity of the 1991 Act and another seeking its strict enforcement. During the proceedings, the bench noted the increasing number of intervention applications in the case, Live law reported.

When counsels inquired whether new interventions would be entertained, CJI Khanna remarked, "There is a limit to which it can be filed, there's a number of petitions coming, we will see.”

In light of multiple similar writ petitions being filed on the matter, the court directed that any pending writ petitions, in which no notice had been issued, would stand dismissed.

However, petitioners in such cases were granted the liberty to file applications raising additional grounds in the ongoing proceedings.

Meanwhile, the bench was also informed that the Union government has yet to file its counter affidavit in the main case.

The matter is now set for further hearing in April.