Supreme Court revisiting Sabarimala warns judicial overreach could destabilize faith
The Supreme Court said Thursday that courts stepping too far into religious matters could actually destabilize people's faith, a big deal for Indian society.
This came up as a nine-judge bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, revisited the Sabarimala case and debated how much courts should get involved in religious freedoms.
Bench flags Dawoodi Bohra excommunication, FGM
The judges also discussed controversial practices in the Dawoodi Bohra community, like excommunication (which can cut people off from jobs and social life) and female genital mutilation (FGM), raising concerns about health and basic rights.
The court cautioned against using "constitutional morality" as a catch-all reason to strike down traditions, with Justice Bagchi noting it shouldn't be used to "read into Article 26 and not be the correct way of construing the provision."
More arguments are set for next week.