Panel Discussion #01: Sabarimala Review: Balancing Competing Values

With the Sabarimala review proceedings presently before the Supreme Court, this panel seeks to revisit one of the most consequential constitutional controversies in contemporary India at a moment when many of its foundational questions remain unresolved. Bringing together leading practitioners and scholars, the discussion will examine the constitutional issues raised by the original judgment and the questions that continue to animate the pending review proceedings. The panel will begin with brief opening reflections from each speaker on the significance of the Sabarimala litigation and the constitutional questions it has brought to the forefront. It will then proceed through five thematic segments, focusing on: (i) the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in public interest litigation; (ii) the role and limits of constitutional morality; (iii) the scope of Article 25 and whether restrictions on religious freedom extend beyond public order, morality, and health; (iv) the application of proportionality in adjudicating competing constitutional claims; and (v) the meaning of “religious denomination” and its relationship with the rights of “persons” under Articles 25 and 26. Structured as an interactive discussion, each segment will be followed by audience questions, allowing for sustained engagement with both the doctrinal and normative dimensions of the case. Rather than attempting to anticipate the Court’s eventual decision, the panel aims to illuminate the constitutional stakes of the Sabarimala review and its potential implications for religious freedom, equality, and judicial review in India.