SC refers issue of excommunication in Dawoodi Bohra community to nine-judge bench

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday referred the issue of the practice of excommunication in the Dawoodi Bohra community to a larger nine-judge bench.

On October 11 last year, the constitution bench reserved its order on whether to refer the plea on the issue to a larger bench for adjudication. It was considering if the Shiite Muslim community of a little over 10 lakh



people spread across several countries has the right to excommunicate its dissenting members.

Today, a five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice S K Kaul observed that a larger bench of nine judges is seized of the matter relating to the 2018 judgement allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple.