Devaswom board has once again raised its protest against women entering Sabarimala in Supreme Court. The board said that the 41-day abstinence cannot be observed by women as they cannot keep their body in abstinence for that long a period. Therefore their restriction is justified, said the advocate Manu Abhishek Singhvi who appeared for Devaswom board. Being a ‘woman’ is not the only criterion for why they have been restricted from entering the temple, anyone who has such body conditions are restricted from entering. Devaswom board added that women only have restricted access to other places of worship, including mosques.
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The S.C bench then raised the previous stand held by Devaswom board that it can permit entry of women of all age into the temple on five days of the month. Bench asked what happens to all the rules for those five days and said Devaswom board lacks clarity in its approach and statements. Justice R F Marikan and D Y Chandrachood pointed out that the Devaswom board’s stand is against the basic rights granted by constitution.
Devaswom board clarified that it is the head priest(thanthri) of the temple who is the final authority on the temple. Justice Chadrachood said that the current system has a lineage of at best only 50 years. He said every custom was based on constitution ever since 1950.
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