The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing on a PIL seeking entry of Muslim women in mosques across the country, saying it was adjourning it for a “different reason”.
A bench headed by CJI-designate Justice S A Bobde, who was part of the five- judge Constitution bench which has to deliver the verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case by November 17, adjourned the hearing on the sensitive PIL by 10 days without specifying reasons.”We are adjourning for 10 days for a different reason,” the bench, which also comprised justices S Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari, said.The bench said some of the parties have sought four weeks’ time for filing their response to the PIL by Pune-based couple Yasmeen Zuber Ahmad Peerzade and Zuber Ahmad Nazir Ahmad Peerzade. The PIL said that the ban on entry of Muslim women in mosques was “unconstitutional” and violative of fundamental rights to life, equality and gender justice.Earlier, the apex court had asked the union ministries of Women and Child Welfare and Law and Justice and Minority Affairs and the National Commission for Women to file their responses to the plea by November 5.