Will not reconsider 1995 'Hindutva verdict': Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, on 25 October, said it will not re-examine its 1995 verdict on Hindutva at this stage.

A seven-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, said the court will not go into the larger debate as to what Hindutva is or what is its meaning and will not re-consider the 1995 judgement.

The apex court is hearing a matter related to electoral malpractices arising out of its 1995 judgement, popularly known as the 'Hindutva' verdict.

The remarks were made by the bench when some advocates sought to intervene in the ongoing hearing which commenced last Tuesday.

Last week, social activist Teesta Setalvad had sought to intervene in the matter with an application stating religion and politics should not be mixed and a direction be passed to de-link religion from politics.

The apex court bench also comprised Justices MB Lokur, SA Bobde, AK Goel, UU Lalit, DY Chandrachud and L Nageshwar Rao.

The remarks were made by the bench when, at the outset of the hearing, some advocates sought to intervene in the ongoing hearing which commenced last Tuesday.

The apex court instead took up a separate plea filed in 1990 on whether seeking of votes in the name of religion will amount to a corrupt practice under the Representation of the People Act warranting disqualification.

It maybe recalled that the Bombay High Court had set aside the election of Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi in the mid-1990s. The matter was then moved to Supreme Court, which in 1995 overturned the high court order saying Hindutva is a way of life.

Since then, the issue was raised in the top court many times, including in 2002 when the court referred the matter to a seven-judge bench for clarity.

--ANI