Sabarimala: SC says legal questions of law can be referred to larger bench

New Delhi: The Supreme Court’s nine-judge bench on February 10 held that questions of law can be referred to a larger review bench.
 
The nine-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde, passed the verdict on more than 50 review petitions challenging the top court's earlier judgment on the Sabarimala issue. 

The court also reframed questions to be heard by the bench. The hearing before the nine-judge bench will begin on February 17. 

It is also reported that one lawyer from each side will make leading arguments, and get one full day to argue. The court will also give two hours each to lawyers to make supplementary arguments.
 
February 6

The bench had reserved its order on February 6 after hearing the arguments on the issue of whether the top court can refer questions of law and what can be the composition of the law on the issue of the review petitions pending before it.
 
"We will pronounce the order on Monday," the court had said after hearing arguments from all the respective parties.

Besides the CJI, the other eight judges in the bench are -- Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L Nageshwar Rao, Mohan M Shantanagoudar, S Abdul Nazeer, R Subhash Reddy, B R Gavai, and Surya Kant.
 
The Supreme Court bench is hearing matters relating to discrimination against women in various religions including Kerala's Sabarimala temple, mosques, the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community and Parsi women married to non-Parsi men being barred from its holy fire temple.

The verdict of the apex court on September 28, 2018 allowing the entry of women of all age groups into the famous shrine had made Sabarimala a battlefield. Women of all ages should be allowed in Kerala's renowned Sabarimala temple, the Supreme Court had ordered, ending the age-old ban.
 

• Sabarimala
• Supreme Court
• women
• larger bench