Today, On 14th May, The Supreme Court has now reserved its judgment in the long-pending Sabarimala reference after an intensive 16-day hearing before a nine-judge Bench. Led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, the Bench reconsidered constitutional questions tied to the 2018 ruling.
The Supreme Court of India observed that Hinduism is a way of life, not dependent on rituals. It clarified that a person identifying as Hindu need not visit temples or perform religious ceremonies to still continue being Hindu.
The Supreme Court rebuked an advocate in the Sabarimala reference hearing for irrelevant submissions, saying he was going beyond the subject and must confine arguments to the issue. The Court also said, “Please don’t argue like this,” during proceedings.
The Supreme Court said there can be no anarchy, noting that managing religious institutions cannot mean operating without structure, and emphasised the need for rules as the nine-judge Bench heard petitions on Sabarimala women’s entry and religious freedom.
The Centre informed the Supreme Court that the landmark rulings decriminalising adultery and consensual same-sex relationships were based on a subjective interpretation of “constitutional morality” and should now be declared “not a good law” by the Court.
