New Delhi, Feb. 12 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday refrained from issuing a blanket direction to curb the practice of pronouncing talaq through WhatsApp, email or other electronic modes, observing that it would first hear all parties, examine the legal and constitutional issues involved, and weigh competing concerns before taking a call. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that while the court would not hesitate to intervene if any practice is against the constitutional ethos and fundamental rights of individuals, such directions could not be issued without a comprehensive hearing since courts should be slow in interfering with matters of faith and religious practices. "If we bar virtual talaqs, people will pre-judge us. We will not shy away from issuing directions, but that we will do only after hearing both sides. These are sensitive issues," remarked the bench. The court was hearing a spate of petitions that have questioned the validity of the practice of Talaq-e-Hasan, under which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by pronouncing "talaq" once a month over three months. The pleas have also sought guidelines for a gender- and religion-neutral framework governing divorce....