Parmod KumarNew Delhi, April 15 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that while adjudicating issues arising from religious beliefs and practices, it cannot, in the name of social reform, render religion hollow, even as it indicated that it cannot completely shut its doors to Public Interest Litigations (PILs) concerning such practices.
The nine-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, hearing the Sabarimala reference, is also examining key questions relating to the scope of judicial review, the balance between Articles 25 and 26 and Article 14, the role of "constitutional morality", and the maintainability of PILs in religious matters.
Besides Chief Justice Surya Kant, the other judges on the Bench include Justic...