Justice Indu Malhotra, lone woman on SC bench hearing Sabarimala temple case
Explains why she dissented
New Delhi: Justice Indu Malhotra, the lone woman judge in the Supreme Court, was the only dissenting voice in the five-judge constitution bench which ruled on Friday that the ban on women between the ages of 10 to 50 years to enter the Sabarimala temple was unconstitutional.
She said that personal views of judges about religious practice were irrelevant grievances raised were non-justiciable.
“In a secular polity issues that are matters of deep religious faith must not be interfered with by courts,” Justice Malhotra said. “The right to practice is a fundamental right.. religious practises are protected.”
While two other judges said Article 25 of the Constitution protects the equal entitlement on all persons to freely practice religion, Justice Malhotra said, “Article 25 protects essential practice.”
She also underlined that courts normally do not interfere with religious practices
“Equality in matters of religion must be viewed in the context of the worshippers of the same faith. It is not for the court to determine which practices of faith are to be struck down except when they are evil, for example sati,” Justice Malhotra said.
She said that the issue of what constitutes is an essential practice is for religious committees to decide.
Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
