SC' notifies 9-judge bench to consider Sabarimala issue

The Supreme Court on Tuesday notified the nine-judge bench to consider the matter arising out of its judgement allowing entry of all age group women to Kerala's Sabarimala temple.

The bench, to be presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde, would also comprise R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L Nageswara Rao, Mohan M Shantanagoudar, S Abdul Nazeer, R Subhash Reddy, B R Gavai and Surya Kant.

The other judges Justices R F Nariman and D Y Chandrachud who did not agree to refer the matter to the larger bench and Justice Indu Malhotra who favoured for it are not part of the new bench. Justice A M Khanwilkar, who had been a part of the original judgement in 2018 allowing entry of all age women to Sabarimala temple, is also not a member of the new bench.

The hearing is scheduled in the matter on January 13 when the court is expected to take up pending questions related to Muslim women's right to enter 'dargah' and mosque, and permission to Parsi women, married to a non-Parsi, into the holy fireplace of an 'Agyari' and practice of female genital mutilation among Dawoodi Bohar community would require authoritative determinations.