Why in news?
Supreme Court was reviewing the petition on nature of religious freedom under constitution.
What did SC tell?
- Chief Justice of India has clarified that the Court will not be deciding the petitions seeking a review of the verdict in the Sabarimala temple case.
- It would limit itself to “larger questions” such as the interplay between freedom of religion and other fundamental rights; and the extent to which courts can probe whether a particular practice is essential to that religion or not.
- At the same time, he has said, “We will decide questions of law on women’s entry into mosques/temples, genital mutilation among Dawoodi Bohras, entry of Parsi women who marry outside the community into the fire temple
- SC might revisit the 1954 seven judge Bench decision in the Shirur Mutt case, which held that religious denominations had the autonomy to decide what religious practices were essential to them.
