Sabarimala Case: Supreme Court takes up women's entry and religious freedom
Sabarimala Case: Supreme Court takes up women's entry and religious freedom
The Supreme Court weighs religious freedom against gender equality as petitions challenge the temple's exclusion of women between 10-50 years old.
The Supreme Court is hearing review petitions against the 2018 Sabarimala verdict, with a nine-judge bench set to weigh the scope of religious freedom under Article 25 and how it interacts with gender rights. The federal government counsel challenged the reasoning that excluding women aged 10 to 50 from the shrine amounts to untouchability, signaling a high-stakes clash over constitutional protections and faith practices.
Several petitions argue that the temple's practice discriminates on gender lines, while proponents of the status quo emphasize religious autonomy. The court has signaled it will also examine the limits of judicial review when a religious practice is at stake and whether the state can regulate access in the name of tradition.
Meanwhile, discussions around patriarchy, gender concepts, and their roots in different cultures continue to echo in court arguments, with the Centre defending a nuanced stance on religious freedom and social norms. The case continues to polarize opinion across Kerala and the country, underscoring how constitutional principles collide with deeply held beliefs.
As the bench weighs the path forward, observers say a ruling could redefine how religious practices are evaluated against fundamental rights, potentially affecting similar debates across India.
