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SC's 9-Judge Constitution Bench to Review Sabarimala Verdict from April 7, 2026 on Essential Religious Practice Doctrine

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
16 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:April 7, 2026April 14-16, 2026April 22, 20269-judge BenchSeptember 2018November 2019
Bodies:Supreme Court of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The Supreme Court has scheduled hearings for review petitions against its 2018 Sabarimala judgment before a 9-judge Constitution Bench from April 7-9 and April 14-16, 2026.

2.The case was previously referred by a 5-judge Bench in 2019 and will now re-examine the 1954 'Shirur Mutt' doctrine defining 'essential religious practices' under Article 25.

3.The hearing will also decide on linked petitions concerning Muslim women's entry into mosques, rights of Parsi women married outside the faith, and the practice of female genital mutilation.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court has scheduled a landmark review of its 2018 Sabarimala verdict. A 9-judge Constitution Bench will hear arguments starting April 7, 2026, to decide on the broader constitutional question of 'essential religious practices' under Article 25. This hearing, delayed by the pandemic, will also examine related issues on Muslim women in mosques, Parsi women's entry, and female genital mutilation.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Bench Strength9-Judge Constitution Bench
Hearing Start DateApril 7, 2026
Original Verdict DateSeptember 2018
Earlier 5-Judge Bench CJIRanjan Gogoi (2019)
Landmark 1954 CaseShirur Mutt Case

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Bench Strength: 9-Judge Constitution Bench
  • ›Hearing Start Date: April 7, 2026
  • ›Target this Data: Hearing dates - April 7 to April 9, 2026 (Petitioners), April 14-16 (Opposition), April 22 (Concluding submissions).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court of India (Constitution Bench).
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Essential Religious Practices Doctrine from the 1954 Shirur Mutt case.

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

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

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Under which Article of the Indian Constitution is the 'Freedom of Religion' guaranteed, which is central to the Sabarimala review case?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Sabarimala review case:

1. The review hearing will be conducted by a 7-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court starting April 2026.

2. The case was originally referred to a larger Bench by a 5-judge Constitution Bench led by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi in 2019.

3. The review will also examine petitions concerning the entry of Muslim women into mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news, on which date in April 2026 is the Supreme Court scheduled to hear the concluding submissions from the amicus curiae in the Sabarimala review case?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary constitutional doctrine that the 9-judge Bench is set to re-examine in the Sabarimala review hearing?

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