Supreme Court of India Sabarimala Hearings

The India — Supreme Court of India is conducting hearings on petitions concerning discrimination against women at religious sites, including the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. A nine-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and including Justices B. V. Nagarathna, M. M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B. Varale, R. Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi, is examining the scope of religious freedom under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution and the extent of state intervention in religious practices. Key discussions include whether non-believers can claim entry rights to temples, the state's power to regulate secular activities affected by religious practices (such as blocking roads for festivals), and the necessity of norms and modalities for the functioning of religious institutions to prevent 'anarchy.' Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, argued that preventing a scheduled caste woman from entering the Sabarimala temple violates Article 17. Advocate Akshay Nagarajan, representing the Dayananda Saraswati (Arsha Vidya), contended against government interference in religious denominations' rights. Advocate Nazım Pasha argued that a dargah is a religious denomination with the right to regulate entry. The hearings are ongoing.