A nine-judge Constitution bench is scheduled to hear on Monday a batch of pleas on the issue of allowing women of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The bench will hear petitions which also include issues of alleged discrimination against Muslim and Parsi women.
The nine-judge bench was set up after a five-judge bench headed by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi on November 14, 2019, by a 3:2 majority verdict, referred the case to a larger bench while examining the review petition filed against the September 2018 judgement which had allowed women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple.
The bench will comprise Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L Nageswara Rao, MM Shantanagoudar, SA Nazeer, RS Reddy, BR Gavai and Surya Kant.
The court had said restrictions on women of all ages in religious places was not limited to Sabarimala only and was prevalent in other religions as well.
The apex court, by a majority verdict of 4:1 had lifted the ban on September 28, 2018 that prevented women and girls between the age of 10 and 50 from entering the shrine in Kerala.
