Nine-Judge SC Bench to Review Sabarimala Petitions From 13 January

The SC said “it was time for the apex court to evolve a judicial policy to do substantial and complete justice.”

Devotees queue to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on 24 December 2018. Image used for representation purposes only.

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court said on Monday, 6 January, that a nine-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde will hear the issue of allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple along with other contentious issues of alleged discrimination against Muslim and Parsi women from 13 January.

The other judges on the bench are Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L Nageswara Rao, M M Shantanagoudar, S A Nazeer, R Subhash Reddy, B R Gavai and Surya Kant.

On 14 November 2019, a five-judge constitution bench in a 3:2 majority verdict had referred to a larger 7-judge bench, the pleas seeking review of its historic 2018 judgement allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple.

It had, however, said that the debate about the constitutional validity of religious practices like bar on entry of women and girls into a place of worship was not limited to the Sabarimala case.

The top court said such restrictions are there with regard to entry of Muslim women into mosques and 'dargah' and Parsi women, married to non-Parsi men, being barred from the holy fire place of an Agyari.

It said that it was time for the apex court to evolve a judicial policy to do "substantial and complete justice".