Upholding the decision of the Sabarimala Review Bench to refer to the larger Bench questions, the Supreme Court on Monday framed seven questions to be heard by the nine-judge bench over freedom of religion under the Constitution and faith. The nine-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde, stated that the Bench could refer other questions of law to a larger Bench. Proposing that the Apex court would hear the Sabarimala case on a day-to-day basis from February 17, the Chief Justice had defended the November 14, 2019, reference made by the Bench led by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
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. The nine-judge bench will deal with the right to freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution.
