Supreme Court’s Nine-Judge Bench Begins Hearing on Women’s Entry in Religious Places, Sabarimala at Centre

April 7, 2026 : A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday commenced hearings on a batch of petitions raising key constitutional questions around alleged discrimination against women at religious places and the extent of religious freedom across faiths.

The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, comprises Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi. The proceedings are expected to address broader issues beyond a single faith, including how equality rights intersect with religious practices.

At the centre of the matter is the long-standing dispute over the entry of women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple. Ahead of the hearing, the Union government filed written submissions urging the Court to uphold the existing restrictions, arguing for the protection of religious customs and denominational rights.

The case is likely to have far-reaching implications for the interpretation of fundamental rights, particularly the balance between the right to equality and the freedom to practice religion under the Constitution.