Nine judge SC Bench set to wrap up Sabarimala issue in ten days

New Delhi, Jan 31: The 9 judge bench of the Supreme Court will constitute legal questions relating to the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple. The Bench which will sit on February 3 will also frame questions on other gender-related questions in other religions as well.

The court had earlier said that its nine-judge Constitution bench would wrap up within 10 days proceedings in the matter relating to discrimination against women in various religions and at religious places including Kerala's Sabarimala Temple.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde made it clear that questions to be dealt with would be purely legal in nature and it would not take more time in concluding the hearing.

"It cannot take more than 10 days. Even if someone wants more time, it cannot be given," said the bench which also comprised justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.

The observations came when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the case before the bench, saying that in pursuance of the court's earlier direction a meeting of lawyers took place but it could not finalise the common legal questions for consideration of the nine-judge bench.

"We could not finalise common questions for consideration of my lords. The Supreme Court can consider framing the questions," the law officer said.

The bench then asked Mehta to furnish issues dealt by lawyers in the meeting.

The court will consider issues related to the entry of Muslim women into mosques, female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community and barring of Parsi women, married to non-Parsi men, from the holy fireplace at Agiary.