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Supreme Court to decide on Sabarimala review petitions tomorrow

The Supreme Court will give its verdict tomorrow on a clutch of review petitions seeking to overturn the Sabarimala judgement of September 2018 that allowed women of all ages to enter and pray at the Lord Ayyappa temple nestled in the hills of the Western Ghats.

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5 years ago

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sabarimala violence

The Supreme Court will give its verdict tomorrow  on a clutch of review petitions seeking to overturn the Sabarimala judgement of September 2018  that allowed women of all ages to enter and pray at the Lord Ayyappa temple nestled in the hills of the Western Ghats.

The five judge bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra. On September 28 last year, in a majority ruling, a coinstitution bench consisting of  the then CJI Dipak Misra and Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud, and Indu Malhotra had, by a 4:1 majority lifted the  lifted the ban on the entry of women between the ages 10 to 50 into the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. Justice Indu Malhotra was the lone dissenting voice.

Violence broke out in many parts of Kerala following the judgement, particularily after the Marxist led government showed an unseemly hurry to implement the verdict though the same government had shown no such alacrity in relation to an apex court order regarding a fued between two factions in a prominent church in central Kerala.

Subsequently, 56 review petitions and some fresh writ petitions were filed challenging the verdict. The Court had heard the review petitions and writ petitions in open court before reserving its verdict on February 6 this year. A constitution bench headed by CJI Gogoi started  heard the clutch of review petitions and 4 writ petitions opposing the entry of women into the temple as allowed by the apex court. The CJI had asked the asking the senior advocates to confine their arguments to the grounds in the review petitions. In the course of two hours, around 10 advocates, appearing for various petitioners, presented their arguments before the Supreme Court.

Among those to prwsent the case  was senior advocate K Parasaran, who  appeared for the Nair Service Society who submitted that the Constitution bench had failed to deal with the interplay of the Constitution’s Preamble and Articles 15, 17 and 25 of Constitution. Parasaran highlighted that Article 15 (prohibition of discrimination), which threw open all public institutions of secular character to all classes of person, conspicuously omitted religious institutions and therefore it was an error to strike down a temple custom under Article 15.He also asserted that the Supreme Court’s September judgment did not consider the crucial aspect that Article 15 (2) does not cover religious places. The omission to consider this aspect constitutes an error apparent on record, the counsel submitted.

He argued that the practice was limited to a particular age group, and therefore cannot be equated with untouchability — which excluded an entire class of people. Parasaran concluded saying that the exclusionary practise in Sabarimala is based on the character of the deity, which is that of Naishtika Brahmachari or permanent celibate.

Appearing for the chief priest or Thantri of the Sabarimala temple, senior advocate V Giri reitrated that right to pray has been in consonance with the nature and form of the deity. He argued that the restriction in Sabarimala had been based on the character of the deity. Advocate V Giri argued that any person who asserts right under article 25(2)(b) to worship has to do it in consonance with the nature of deity.

Later, advocate Jaideep Gupta for the Kerala government made it clear that the government was opposing the review petitions as no grounds had been made out for review.  He asserted that essential practice of religion and essential practice of a temple cannot be confused and that exclusion of women from a temple was not essential to Hindu religion. “Every temple may be having its own practice. Court cannot go into the essential practices of every temple. That would mean each temple is a denominational temple. That will lead to the destruction of essential religious practise test,” he argued.

The Kerala government’s counsel also opposed arguments put forward by various petitioners that it was a private issue. “It is about public law issue unless they argue that women between age 10 to 50 are not a class of Hindus,” Jaideep Gupta said. He also told the bench that it should not consider the tension and violence that followed the judgment. “That social peace has been destroyed is not a ground for reviewing the judgment. Constitutional invalidity cannot be permitted to go on,” he argued.

The Kerala government’s pro women’s entry stand was in contrast to that of almost every other political party or formation in the state including the Congress and the BJP which were united in opposing the  stand. That the government stood isolated became evident in the Lok Sabha elections when the Left Democratic Front government, which has a near two third majority in the assembly got decimated in the parliamentary polls, winning just one of the 20 seats at stake in the state.

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Meta to face Indian parliamentary panel over Zuckerberg’s election remarks

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2 weeks ago

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January 14, 2025

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Mark Zuckerberg

Social media giant Meta will soon be summoned by India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Information Technology over CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s comments regarding the 2024 Indian general election. Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP and chairman of the panel, stated that Meta would be held accountable for allegedly spreading misinformation.

“Misinformation in a democratic country damages its image. The organization must apologize to the Parliament and the people for this mistake,” Dubey said in a post on X.

Zuckerberg, during a January 10 podcast, referred to the global erosion of trust in governments post-Covid. He claimed that in 2024, major elections worldwide, including India’s, saw incumbents losing power, linking this trend to factors such as inflation, economic policies, and pandemic handling.

The statement was swiftly fact-checked by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who clarified that India’s 2024 general elections reaffirmed public trust in the NDA led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“As the world’s largest democracy, India conducted its 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People reaffirmed their trust in the NDA under PM Modi’s leadership. Zuckerberg’s claim is factually incorrect,” Vaishnaw posted on X.

He also highlighted Modi’s governance during Covid, emphasizing free food for 800 million citizens, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and economic recovery efforts that positioned India as a fast-growing economy. Vaishnaw expressed disappointment in Meta for allowing such misinformation, urging the platform to prioritize factual reporting.

While the BJP saw a slight dip in seats during the 2024 elections, the NDA comfortably retained power with its allies’ support. This marked Modi’s historic third consecutive term as Prime Minister, making him only the second Indian leader after Jawaharlal Nehru to achieve this milestone.

The controversy surrounding Zuckerberg’s remarks underscores the growing scrutiny of social media platforms in influencing political discourse and the need for accountability in the digital space.

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India News

Army vehicle accident in J&K claims two soldiers’ lives, two others injured

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3 weeks ago

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January 4, 2025

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Two soldiers were tragically killed and two others injured when an Army vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday.

The accident took place near the SK Payen area, leaving the soldiers with serious injuries. The injured personnel were promptly rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the loss of the two soldiers has left the entire region in mourning.

This unfortunate incident follows another similar tragedy that occurred just a month ago in Poonch. In that accident, five soldiers lost their lives, and five others were injured when their truck fell into a 300-foot gorge. The Army’s White Knight Corps paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, sharing a statement on social media expressing their deepest condolences for the “brave soldiers” who had been serving on operational duty in the Poonch sector.

The latest loss has drawn widespread expressions of grief from political leaders. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his sorrow, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offered his heartfelt tributes to the martyrs. He also wished for a swift recovery for the injured soldiers and extended his deepest condolences to their grieving families.

These two incidents highlight the ongoing risks faced by soldiers in the line of duty, and the sacrifices made in protecting the nation. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the accident, while the military community comes together to mourn the tragic losses.

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India News

Aligarh man’s journey ends in arrest as Pakistani woman declines marriage proposal

Published

4 weeks ago

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January 2, 2025

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India-Pakistan International Border

A 30-year-old Indian man, Badal Babu, from Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district, is in judicial custody in Pakistan after illegally crossing the border to meet his Facebook friend, only to be rejected. The woman, identified as 21-year-old Sana Rani, told authorities she has no interest in marrying him.

The arrest took place in Mandi Bahauddin, a district in Pakistan’s Punjab province, roughly 240 kilometers from Lahore. Babu was detained under sections 13 and 14 of Pakistan’s Foreign Act for entering the country without proper documentation.

A Facebook friendship turns sour

According to Punjab police officer Nasir Shah, the duo had been friends on Facebook for over two and a half years. Babu, in love with Rani, decided to cross the border illegally to propose. However, Rani’s statement to the police made it clear she had no intention of marrying him.

Shah added, “Babu crossed into Pakistan illegally and reached Maung village, where he was apprehended. Whether he met Rani in person remains unclear.”

Family under scrutiny

Reports suggest that intelligence officials questioned Rani and her family about her relationship with Babu. Although there is speculation that Rani may have given her statement under duress, this remains unconfirmed.

Legal proceedings begin

Babu, who narrated his “love story” to authorities, was presented in court, which placed him in judicial custody for 14 days. His next hearing is scheduled for January 10.

A familiar tale across borders

Babu’s story echoes previous cross-border romances fostered through social media or online games.

  • In a widely publicized case, Indian woman Anju traveled to Pakistan to marry Nasrullah, converting to Islam before tying the knot.
  • Similarly, Seema Haider, a Pakistani woman, crossed into India via Nepal to marry her PUBG friend after bringing her four children along.
  • Last year, 19-year-old Pakistani girl Iqra Jiwani married Indian national Mulayam Singh Yadav in Nepal after meeting him online.

While these cases highlight the unifying power of social media, they also underscore the legal and personal challenges of navigating cross-border relationships.

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