SC to hear Sabarimala case from Apr 7

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February 16, 2026

SC to hear Sabarimala case from Apr 7

Kerala: The Supreme Court of India will begin hearing pleas relating to alleged discrimination against women at religious places, including Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple, from April 7, PTI reported.A nine-judge Constitution Bench will take up the long-pending reference arising out of the Sabarimala review proceedings. The Court has directed parties to file their written submissions on or before March 14.The Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi also fixed a schedule for oral arguments and said the nine-judge Bench would conclude hearing submissions by April 22. As per the schedule, review petitioners or parties supporting them will be heard from April 7 to April 9. Those opposing the review pleas will present their arguments from April 14 to April 16. Rejoinder submissions, if any, will be heard on April 21, followed by concluding submissions from the amicus curiae on April 22.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the Court that the Union government supports the review of the 2018 Sabarimala verdict.The Court has appointed senior advocate Parameshwar along with Shivam Singh as amici curiae to assist the Bench in the matter. What is the Sabarimala case?The dispute stems from a September 2018 judgment in which a five-judge Constitution Bench, by a 4:1 majority, allowed entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, setting aside the practice that barred women between 10 and 50 years of age.Following the verdict, multiple review petitions were filed before the apex court. In November 2019, the Court, while dealing with the review pleas, referred larger constitutional questions to a nine-judge Bench without deciding the issue conclusively.In February 2020, the larger Bench framed seven substantial questions of law concerning the ambit of religious freedom, the interplay between Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution and the right to equality under Article 14, the scope of constitutional morality, and whether persons not belonging to a religious denomination can challenge its practices.The matter remained pending amid disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision of the nine-judge Bench will guide the adjudication of the Sabarimala review petitions and connected cases.