The Supreme Court has formally notified the constitution of a nine-judge bench to hear the long-pending Kerala's Sabarimala temple review, reviving a constitutional controversy that has remained in cold storage for six years.
The bench will comprise Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A G Masih, R Mahadevan, Prasanna B Varale, and Joymalya Bagchi.
The review of the 2018 verdict allowing entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple will now be heard from April 7, with arguments expected to conclude by April 22.
The nine-judge bench will examine seven sweeping constitutional questions, including the interplay between freedom of religion under Articles 25 and 26, and the permissible extent of judicial recognition of PILs challenging religious practices.
The Sabarimala review is expected to have far-reaching implications for how courts balance essential religious practices, denominational autonomy, and individual rights.
