RSS welcomes SC's decision to refer Sabarimala review pleas to larger bench

After a 5-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court including Chief Justice, Ranjan Gogoi referred the Sabarimala review pleas to a 7-member larger bench by a 3:2 verdict on Thursday, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) issued its first statement on Twitter after the SC's decision. It said, "Matters related to traditions and customs are issues of faith and belief. Restriction of women belonging to a particular age-group to the Sabarimala shrine has nothing to with gender inequality or discrimination, and that is strictly based on the specialty of the deity."

'We welcome the Supreme Court decision'

RSS added, "We are of the firm view that the judicial review under whatever pretext in the matter will be violative of the spirit of the freedom of worship guaranteed by our Constitution. And the opinion of concerned authorities should be given paramount consideration in such matters." The RSS also welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to accept the Review Petition on file and refer the matter to a larger Constitutional Bench.

Sabarimala review verdict by SC

Pronouncing the verdict on the review petitions of Sabarimala, the Supreme Court on Thursday referred the case to a larger SC bench. While pronouncing the verdict, CJI Ranjan Gogoi said that the idea behind the review petitions was to revive the debate as to what is an integral part of a religion. CJI observed that all religious groups have a right to practice their religions freely. He said the debate about the constitutional validity regarding the entry of women into places of religious worship is not limited to this case and said that it is also is seen in cases where women are not allowed to enter the Dargah. In light of no alternate verdict from the top court, the previous judgment by the top court allowing entry of women stays in place.

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The CJI added that it’s time the top court evolves a judicial policy to do complete justice to constitutional principles. The top court highlighted that the issues arising in the Sabarimala case and regarding Muslim women and Parsi women may be overlapping. Then the Court referred the case to a 7-judge bench. The Court said that the larger bench would go beyond the issue of Sabarimala and would consider practices of all faith.

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