The Supreme Court of India on Monday agreed to hear a petition filed by a Nagpur-based Parsi woman who alleged discrimination by the Nagpur Parsi Panchayat after marrying a Hindu man while continuing to follow the Zoroastrian faith.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, scheduled the hearing for May 29 and said an interim arrangement could also be considered.
The petition was filed by Dina Budhraja, who challenged the alleged discriminatory practices of the Nagpur Parsi Panchayat against Parsi women marrying outside the faith. She argued that while Parsi men who marry women from other religions continue to enjoy religious and community rights, similar rights are denied to women.Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Budhraja, sought interim relief to allow her entry into the Nagpur Agiary, a Zoroastrian fire temple, especially during funeral prayers and religious ceremonies of close relatives.Budhraja was reportedly denied entry into the Agiary during her grandmother’s funeral in 2024, despite continuing to follow the Zoroastrian religion after marriage.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice noted that a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on wider issues related to alleged discrimination against women in religious matters, including the Sabarimala temple entry case.
However, Divan requested immediate interim relief, saying the matter involved urgent concerns about equal treatment of Parsi women. The case will now be heard on May 29.
👉 Click here to read the latest Gujarat news on TheLiveAhmedabad.com