New Delhi: The Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi pronounced the verdict on Thursday, on the entry of women, who were in the menstruation stage to allow into the Sabarimala Temple, referred the case to seven membered constitution bench for wider consultations.  

   The reference to a seven membered constitution bench was made by a majority of three judges in a five judge bench, in which Justices Rohinton, Fali, Nariman and D.Y. Chandrachud took a dissenting position. Referring to an endeavour by a batch of petitioners to resuscitate the debate about what is essential to Religion and integral part of Religion, CJI Gogoi also speaking for Justices A.N. Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra said the decision of the larger bench would put at rest the recurring issues touching upon the rights following from Article 25 and Article 26 of the Constitution. The CJI pointed to the importance of the entire matter involving the rights under Article 25 and Article 26.

   It is our considered view that the issues arriving in the pending cases regarding entry of Muslim women in Durghas/ Mosques, of Parsi women married to non-Parsis in Agyari and the practice of female genital mutilation Dawood Bohras… may be over lapping and covered by the Judgement under review.