The Supreme Court on Tuesday is likely to decide on hearing a batch of review petitions against its verdict allowing women of all ages entry to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The top court had earlier decided against staying its own judgement, which was given by a Constitution Bench in September.
Women of menstruating age have traditionally not been allowed into the temple, but the Supreme Court order on September 28 put an end to the restriction. The Kerala government, led by the Left Democratic Front, said it would implement the judgement, but the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have opposed it.
In his judgement in Septemb, former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had said, “Patriarchy of religion cannot be permitted to trump over faith.” He said that “subversion of women on biological factors cannot be given legitimacy”. Justice DY Chandrachud had said, “To treat women as children of a lesser god is to blink at the constitution itself.”
The temple closed late on Monday – no women had been allowed inside during the five days it had been open. On Monday, two women had tried to enter. The temple will open again in the second week of November for its three-month pilgrimage season. During this season last year, the temple had around 35 million visitors, according to the Hindustan Times.
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