Sabarimala case: Nine-judge bench of Supreme Court to hear Rights vs Faith issue today

Manglore Today News Network / Yahoo

New Delhi, Jan 13, 2020:  A nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court will today begin hearing a batch of pleas on the issue of allowing the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.

Among other issues before the Supreme Court is the alleged discrimination against women of Muslim and Parsi faith. The hearing assumes significance not just for the Sabarimala temple issue but other related matters as well since the apex court judgment could lay down precedent and judicial policy as far as dealing with questions of religion and rights are concerned. An earlier order of the top court had left several questions to be considered by a larger bench, including the interrelationship between Articles 25 and 26, rights to freedom to propagate and practice religion, and the other fundamental rights in the Constitution, particularly right to equality. The nine-judge bench which will hear the bunch of pleas today is led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and includes Justices Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L Nageshwara Rao, MM Shantanugoudar, SA Nazeer, RS Reddy, BR Gavai and Suryakant.

The hearing by the nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court was necessitated after the earlier order of the top court left open the question of women’s entry into the Ayappa Temple at Sabarimala. The judgement noted that several questions of law needed to be considered before the review petitions could be heard.