Sabarimala Case: SC 9-Judge Bench To Hear Parties From Feb 17 On Religious Freedom

Hyderabad, Feb.11 (Maxim News): Chilkur Balaji temple h ead priest Dr M V Soundararajan, who is also the convener of Temples Protection Movement, has said the Supreme Court has held that its five-judge bench can refer questions of law to a larger bench while exercising its limited power under review jurisdiction in the Sabarimala case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, framed seven questions to be heard by a nine-judge Constitution bench on the issues relating to freedom of religion under the Constitution and faith. An Intervention petition was filed in the matter on behalf of Shri Chilkur Balaji Venkateshwara Swamy to assert the rights of the Deity and the temple under the Constitution and the same was recorded in the office report of Supreme Court order dated February 3 of the case and numbered IA 11778/2020. But the Supreme Court Nine-Judge Bench rejected the Intervention Application while many other Intervention applications were allowed.

The court proposes to hear on a day-to-day basis from February 17 the questions framed on scope of religious freedom in various religions. The seven questions framed by the bench include those on scope and ambit of religious freedom, and interplay between religious freedom and freedom of beliefs of religious denominations, said, adding that Justice system prides itself on the principle of natural justice and in a case that deeply involves the constitutional rights of Hindu Deities, it was not keeping with the stature of the highest court of the land.

A Hindu Deity with crores of devotees all over the world was not allowed to express His views on behalf of all Deities on the questions referred to the Nine Judge bench of the Supreme Court. “We request all Hindu Dharma Acharyas and devotees to intervene and express their views to the Chief Justice of Supreme Court so that the principle of natural justice which forms the basic structure of our Constitution is not violated”. (Maxim News)