New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday decided to examine the legal validity of handing over government land — in a secular country such as India — to private groups building a temple, mosque, church or a gurudwara.
The SC while posting the matter for final hearing on March 20 asked the apex court Registry to list all connected matters pertaining to lands allotted by various States for construction of religious shrines.
Counsel P.V. Dinesh appearing for the respondent Muslim Cultural Association in this case argued that the allotment did not in any manner affect the secular character of the country.
The Bench was hearing a special leave petition filed in 2008 by the Federation of Chennai Suburban Welfare Association challenging the allotment of government lands in 1981 to a Muslim Cultural Asso-ciation for construction of a mosque. It may be recalled that the Madras HC in 2007 had upheld the allotment of land at Ullagaram panchayat on the outskirts of Chennai.
