Published Paper Details:

In a democratic society, we hope that every religion, no matter its core beliefs or moral views, will show respect for all faiths. This means that anyone who wants to follow their religious beliefs or any other personal convictions should be free to do so without interference from the government. The recent court case involving Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which is all about "secularism," doesn't give us much to cheer about. This situation has become complicated because of external pressures that have really impacted the Constitution. This paper takes a critical look at how the current discussion surrounding the 1991 Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act is testing the very idea of secularism, a cornerstone of true democracy. The 1991 Act creates a clear responsibility for us to uphold secularism as outlined in the Indian Constitution. The Act aims to preserve the status of places of worship for all faiths as they existed on August 15, 1947, and to halt legal disputes over changes to their religious character. However, its validity is being challenged due to the rise of religious fervour and some indirect legal battles. The statute's preamble espouses the noble principle of secularism, which currently seems as elusive as bats that emerge in the dusk but vanish in the light of reality.