The Supreme Court of India has announced that a nine-judge bench will begin hearings on April 7 regarding the constitutional questions raised by petitions challenging the 2018 decision to lift age restrictions on women entering the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. This decision came from a five-judge bench that ruled 4:1 in favor of allowing women of all ages to enter the temple, striking down Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship Rules, 1965, which had previously excluded women based on custom. However, a subsequent ruling in November 2019 indicated that the original decision could impact other religions, necessitating further review by a larger bench. The nine-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, will explore several critical questions concerning the rights to freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, the rights of religious denominations under Article 26, and the scope of judicial review regarding religious practices. The Kerala government's Left Democratic Front has expressed support for the initial ruling lifting the restrictions.