SC to hear arguments over referring questions of law to larger bench in review petition

A nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court will hear on February 6 argument on the issue whether the court can refer questions of law to a larger bench on a review petition.

The 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.

Last year, a five-judge Constitution bench had referred to a larger bench the issues relating to the constitutional validity of religious practices like barring entry of women and girls into a place of worship.

It had observed that the issue of the constitutional validity of religious practices like barring entry of women and girls into a place of worship was not limited to the Sabarimala case.