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Supreme Court 9-Judge Bench Questions 2006 Sabarimala PIL Locus, Cites Article 25 Right to Conscience

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims MediumMains HighStatic GK Link
05 May 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:2006 (PIL Year)2018 (Verdict Year)9-Judge BenchArticle 25(1)
Bodies:Supreme Court of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.A 9-judge SC bench criticized the 2006 Sabarimala PIL filed by IYLA, suggesting it should have been dismissed, raising questions on PIL misuse.

2.The bench linked the Sabarimala review to a broader issue of the right to conscience under Article 25(1), questioning its denial to Parsi women married outside the religion.

3.Judges highlighted the transformation of PIL into 'Private Interest Litigation', emphasizing the need for genuine public interest.

The Big Picture
Prelims · MediumMains · High

A 9-judge Supreme Court bench strongly questioned the maintainability of the original 2006 Sabarimala PIL, calling it an abuse of process. This hearing, part of a review of the 2018 judgment, highlights critical judicial scrutiny of PILs and the interplay of Article 25 (right to conscience) with religious practices like temple entry and Parsi fire temple access for intermarried women.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

SC Bench Strength9-Judge Bench
2018 Sabarimala Verdict4-1 by 5-Judge Bench (CJI Dipak Misra)
Original PIL Year2006
NGO PetitionerIndian Young Lawyers Association (IYLA)
Key Constitutional ArticleArticle 25(1) - Right to Conscience

1-Minute Revision

  • ›SC Bench Strength: 9-Judge Bench
  • ›2018 Sabarimala Verdict: 4-1 by 5-Judge Bench (CJI Dipak Misra)
  • ›Target this Data: 2006 (Year of original Sabarimala PIL)
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court of India (9-judge bench)
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Article 25(1) - Right to conscience accrues by birth

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which constitutional article, guaranteeing the right to conscience, was discussed by the Supreme Court bench in relation to the Sabarimala and Parsi temple entry cases?

Q2Statement-basedMedium

Consider the following statements regarding the news:

1. The Supreme Court bench hearing the Sabarimala review petitions consisted of nine judges.

2. The original Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the Sabarimala issue was filed in the year 2018.

3. The bench questioned the locus standi of the petitioner, the Indian Young Lawyers Association (IYLA).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricEasy

In which year was the original Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the Sabarimala temple entry issue, which was criticized by the Supreme Court bench, initially filed?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was a primary concern expressed by the Supreme Court judges regarding the current state of Public Interest Litigations (PILs), as per the article?

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