India, April 9 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday pushed back against the Union government's argument that courts cannot sit in judgment over religious practices by branding them as superstitious or irrational, reminding the Centre that even religious freedoms under the Constitution are subject to public order, morality, health and other fundamental rights.

On the second day of the hearing of the Sabarimala reference, a nine-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant emphasised that while courts may exercise restraint in matters of faith, they cannot be "completely denuded" of jurisdiction where a practice is found to be egregiously violative of constitutional guarantees.

"If something shocks the conscience of the court.on the face of it, no furt...