Sabarimala Women-Entry Case: 9-Judge SC Bench to Hear Reviews from April 7
Sabarimala Women-Entry Case: 9-Judge SC Bench to Hear Reviews from April 7
The Supreme Court sets April hearings on petitions challenging the 2018 ruling allowing women of all ages into Sabarimala, with a nine-judge bench mapping out a schedule through April 22.
The Supreme Court on Monday set April 7-22, 2026 for a fresh hearing on petitions challenging its September 2018 verdict that allowed women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. This hearing will be before a nine-judge Constitution Bench, reviving a debate that has captured wide attention across religious and constitutional lines.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will hear the review petitions from April 7-9, with those opposing the petitions scheduled from April 14-16. Rejoinder submissions are slated for April 21, followed by final submissions from the amicus curiae on April 22. The court also cited the maintainability of the review petitions as having been decided earlier by a nine-judge Bench constituted in 2019.
The proceedings come after a lengthy pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which interrupted the earlier hearing of a matter that has now evolved into one of the most significant examinations of religious freedom under the Constitution. The continuing relevance of the case lies in how it interrogates the balance between essential religious practices and constitutional morality, equality, and gender rights across faiths.
Observers say the case could set important precedents for how religious places handle gender entry rights and how courts reconcile faith-based exemptions with equality guarantees. As the matter unfolds, it will be watched closely by legal scholars, religious communities, and advocates of women’s rights who see the issue as part of a broader, ongoing conversation about equality and religious practice in modern India.
