Supreme Court Flags Discriminatory Practice Against Parsi Women in Interfaith Marriages

The Supreme Court of India raises concerns over the excommunication of Parsi women marrying outside their faith, scrutinizing this practice's discriminatory nature under Article 25 of the Constitution. The court examines whether religious authority can infringe individual freedom to profess and practice one's religion.

The Supreme Court of India, on Tuesday, questioned the legality of excommunicating Parsi women for marrying individuals of other faiths, labeling the practice as prima facie discriminatory.

A nine-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, is evaluating whether the rights of Parsi religious leaders to expel members conflict with individual rights under Article 25 (1) of the Constitution, which grants the right to freedom of conscience by birth and cannot be revoked upon marriage.

Senior advocate Darius Khambata, representing a Parsi woman married to a Hindu man, argued against this selective practice, stating that it unjustly penalizes women and is not applied equally to men. The bench will continue its deliberations on the issue, focusing on balancing religious freedoms with personal rights.