Does the right to religion guarantee gender equality? Govt says no

In a strong defence of religious autonomy, the Centre told a nine-judge Supreme Court bench that Article 25(1) of the Constitution — which guarantees all persons equal “freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion” — does not deal with gender equality.
In his rejoinder, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, “Article 25(1) does not provide for gender equality for the simple reason that Articles 15 and 16 already prohibit discrimination on the grounds, inter alia, of ‘sex’.”