Sabarimala Verdict

Observing that there cannot be anarchy, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the right to manage a religious institution cannot mean absence of structure and there has to be a modality and norms devised for its functioning. The observation by a nine-judge Constitution bench came while hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. The bench comprised Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi. Advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for Peerzada Syed Altamash Nizami, direct ancestral descendent in Chisti Nizami lineage associated with dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia, submitted that a dargah is a place where a saint is buried. "Within Islam, there are differing views regarding the status of saints .

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the historic Sabarimala temple in Kerala, told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that religion is a set of beliefs and practices followed by a denomination with a broadly similar identity and the court cannot sit in judgement of that belief. A nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant was told by the board, which is a statutory autonomous body that manages over 1,000 temples in South India, that the beliefs and practices of the community have to be judged by the subjective belief of the community and the court is bound to accept their belief. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the TDB said, "Religion is a set of beliefs and practices followed by a group/sect/denomination with a broadly similar identity. While Article 25 clearly vests in an individual the right to profess, practice and propagate religion, such individual rights cannot be allowed to extend to an area which intrudes upon the mass of ...

Investigators said Kumar had been associated with Sabarimala since the 1990s and knew the idols were covered in gold

The famed Lord Ayyappa temple here is witnessing unprecedented heavy rush on Wednesday morning with just hours left for the performance of the auspicious Mandala pooja at the hill shrine. Long queues of pilgrims carrying the sacred bundle of "irunmudikettu" on their heads and chanting "swamiye saranam Ayyappa" mantras could be seen at the Sannidhanam, the temple complex. The sea of devotees was waiting to get a glimpse of the mandala pooja which marks the culmination of the first leg of the two month-long annual pilgrimage at the Lord Ayyappa temple. A ceremonial procession carrying the sacred Thanka Anki (golden attire) of Lord Ayyappa reached the hill shrine here last evening. According to temple management sources, the pooja would be performed after adorning the 'anki' on the idol of Lord Ayyappa, the principal deity. The poojas and rituals would be performed between 10.30 am and 11.30 am, they said. After the Mandala Pooja, the shrine would be closed by 11.00 pm and would be

From the Ayodhya title suit to Sabarimala and striking down of the Section 87 of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, here are the landmark SC verdicts of 2019

A bench headed by CJI S A Bobde, referring to a recent verdict of the apex court, said the 2018 judgment was not the final word as the issue was referred to a seven-judge bench for consideration

A bench headed by Justice N V Ramana asked the state to place before it by third week of January next year the legislation, also covering the aspects of welfare of pilgrims visiting there

The Lord Ayyappa temple opened this evening for the two month long Mandala-Makaravillakku pilgrimage season.

The pilgrims would be allowed to climb the 18 holy steps after the padi puja and have darshan.

Social justice and progressive social reforms are never a walk in the park

Justice Nariman had penned the dissent order on behalf of himself and Justice D Y Chandrachud.

He also said the state government was always ready to implement the court order, whatsoever it may be

The BJP and Congress wanted the government to exercise restraint and not to allow women in the 10-50 age group to go to the hill shrine

The Supreme Court on Thursday said a larger seven-judge bench will re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple

The majority verdict did not say anything adverse against the apex court's September 28, 2018 decision allowing women to enter the shrine nor did it stay the earlier judgement

The Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict on Sabarimala. Catch LIVE updates reactions that follow SC verdict on Sabarimala temple

BJP MLA Rajagopal had sought reply from the Devaswom Minister on the arrangements made at the hilltop shrine ahead of the annual pilgrimage season

God is equal to everyone, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president said