. NEW DELHI: What should the Supreme Court rely on – the English or Hindi text of the Constitution – while examining the true meaning of denomination that appears in Article 26 and in resolving the apparent conflict between individual freedom to religion and the denominational religious rights?This seminal question propped up a number of times in different forms before a 9-J bench led by CJI Surya Kant, which is at the fag end of a prolonged faith vs fundamental right debate that got renewed after the controversial 2018 SC judgment quashing the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple custom of barring the entry of women in 10-50 age group.Many senior advocates had argued that the landmark Shirur Mutt judgment of 1954 erred in interpreting denomination by accepting its meaning as given in Oxford Dictionary, which carried western religious bias. The judgment had said, “The word ‘denomination’ has been defined in the Oxford Dictionary to mean “A collection of individuals classed together under the same name: a religious sect or body having a common faith and organisation and designated by a distinctive name.”They had argued that the correct meaning of ‘denomination’ is available in the Hindi version of the Constitution, which puts it as ‘sampradaya’. But the Kerala govt through senior advocate Jaideep Gupta said the Constituent Assembly had adopted the Constitution framed in English language and that the Hindi translation was never adopted by the Constituent Assembly.Hence, the SC should go by the English text of the Constitution and not the Hindi version of it, Gupta said and insisted on this despite the insertion of Article 394A through constitutional amendment in 1987 provided that – “The translation of this Constitution and of every amendment thereof published under this Article shall be deemed, for all practical purposes, the authoritative text thereof in the Hindi language.”End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over LeakPosters Against Rahul Gandhi Surface As KC Venugopal Emerges Frontrunner For Kerala CMSuvendu Adhikari Chooses Bhabanipur Over Nandigram, Sparks Fresh Political Battle In BengalCM Vijay Revokes Astrologer Vettrivel’s OSD Appointment Amid Political Storm In Tamil Nadu123PhotostoriesStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list5 deadliest insects on the planet: Small creatures with a massive global impactThe silent vitamin deficiency experts say could increase your cancer risk over timeCommon snakes found in Florida and how to keep them away from home and gardenThe hygiene myths experts are trying to break5 summer morning drinks that beat hunger and keep you energized for longerLate nights, high stress, rising BP: Why poor sleep is becoming India’s new urban health emergency123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav
NEW DELHI: What should the Supreme Court rely on – the English or Hindi text of the Constitution – while examining the true meaning of denomination that appears in Article 26 and in resolving the apparent conflict between individual freedom to religion and the denominational religious rights?This seminal question propped up a number of times in different forms before a 9-J bench led by CJI Surya Kant, which is at the fag end of a prolonged faith vs fundamental right debate that got renewed after the controversial 2018 SC judgment quashing the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple custom of barring the entry of women in 10-50 age group.Many senior advocates had argued that the landmark Shirur Mutt judgment of 1954 erred in interpreting denomination by accepting its meaning as given in Oxford Dictionary, which carried western religious bias. The judgment had said, “The word ‘denomination’ has been defined in the Oxford Dictionary to mean “A collection of individuals classed together under the same name: a religious sect or body having a common faith and organisation and designated by a distinctive name.”They had argued that the correct meaning of ‘denomination’ is available in the Hindi version of the Constitution, which puts it as ‘sampradaya’. But the Kerala govt through senior advocate Jaideep Gupta said the Constituent Assembly had adopted the Constitution framed in English language and that the Hindi translation was never adopted by the Constituent Assembly.Hence, the SC should go by the English text of the Constitution and not the Hindi version of it, Gupta said and insisted on this despite the insertion of Article 394A through constitutional amendment in 1987 provided that – “The translation of this Constitution and of every amendment thereof published under this Article shall be deemed, for all practical purposes, the authoritative text thereof in the Hindi language.”
