The Supreme Court on Monday issued a schedule for hearing the batch of review petitions and connected matters arising from the Sabarimala reference, including connected issues relating to religious denomination, women’s entry into places of worship, and allied constitutional questions, directing that arguments will commence on 7 April 2026 before a nine-judge bench.
The review petitioners and parties supporting them will be heard from 7 to 9 April 2026, followed by the original writ petitioners opposing the review and those supporting them from 14 to 16 April 2026. Submissions by the amicus curiae and any rejoinders, if necessary, will be taken up on 21 April 2026, with final concluding submissions expected to conclude on 22 April 2026.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice N.V. Anjaria has noted that the question whether the Court has the power to refer a question in law to a larger bench in a review petition has already been conclusively decided by the 9-judge Bench.
During the hearing, the Bench noted that the matters had earlier faced disruptions due to the COVID 19 pandemic and related circumstances, which prevented the nine-judge bench from sitting together. With the Court now resuming regular functioning, it emphasised the need for structured case management to ensure smooth proceedings.
Seven broad constitutional questions concerning the interpretation of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution are to be examined. These include the scope of judicial review in matters of religious practice, the meaning of the expression religious denomination, the ambit of the right to freedom of religion, the interplay between individual and denominational rights, and the relevance of constitutional morality.
The Court also indicated that additional or supplementary issues may arise in specific connected batches, such as those relating to the Parsi Panchayat and interfaith marriages under the Special Marriage Act, and that such batch-specific questions may be framed separately, if required.
The Bench directed parties to file written submissions on or before 14 March 2026. It appointed nodal counsel to coordinate submissions and streamline arguments on both sides, including those supporting and opposing the review petitions. The amicus curiae was also directed to assist the Court and prepare written submissions reflecting the various positions taken.
Hearing of the matters is scheduled to commence before a nine-judge bench from 7 April 2026. The Court allocated specific dates for different sides, including review petitioners, original writ petitioners opposing the review, and the amicus curiae. It stressed strict adherence to the timeline and instructed nodal counsel to internally coordinate oral submissions so that arguments conclude within the stipulated period.
All interlocutory applications seeking early hearing were disposed of, with liberty granted to applicants to assist the Court during final arguments.