India, April 6 -- The Supreme Court's decision to constitute a nine-judge bench for the Sabarimala review is not merely a procedural step to revive a long-pending constitutional reference. It is also a telling administrative signal from Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant - one that brings together a carefully balanced cross-section of the court in terms of gender, religion, caste and regional representation to adjudicate a deeply sensitive dispute at the intersection of faith and fundamental rights.

Notified on Saturday, the bench, headed by the CJI and comprising justices BV Nagarathna, MM Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, AG Masih, R Mahadevan, Prasanna B Varale and Joymalya Bagchi, will hear the matter from April 7....