India's Supreme Court says lawmakers, not judges, change religious practices
India's Supreme Court just made it clear: if religious practices need changing, that is up to lawmakers, not judges.
Chief Justice Surya Kant and an unusually large nine-judge bench said courts should not meddle in religion unless a law is directly challenged as interfering with religion or regulating secular activities associated with religious practices.
Supreme Court flags limits judging rituals
The judges talked about how tough it is to judge rituals at thousands of temples and shrines.
Justice Gupta pointed out that deciding what counts as an essential religious practice should be based on religious beliefs, not legal standards.
The court also noted that picking priests might involve some secular rules, but actual priestly qualifications stay a religious matter.
Final arguments are likely to conclude on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.