Tushar Mehta tells Supreme Court Sabarimala restrictions reflect Indian culture
The Center told the Supreme Court that Indian culture sees women differently than Western ideas about patriarchy.
During arguments over women's entry into Kerala's Sabarimala temple, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said Indian traditions put women on a "higher pedestal" and shouldn't be judged by Western standards.
The government defended the temple's restrictions, saying religious practices should stay outside court interference unless public order, morality or health is at risk.
Supreme Court reviews 2018 Sabarimala judgment
Mehta also pushed back against using "constitutional morality" to decide religious issues, warning it could let courts go beyond what the Constitution intended.
The Supreme Court is now reviewing its 2018 decision that lifted the ban on women of menstruating age into Sabarimala, weighing how to balance tradition with legal rights.