The Supreme Court will on today deliver its verdict pleas seeking a review of its September 2018 order allowing the entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala Temple. The apex court will deliver its judgement on as many as 65 petitions — including 56 review petitions and four fresh writ petitions and five transfer pleas.
As many as 65 petitions were filed against the September 28, 2018, verdict that ended the ban on entry for women and girls of age 10-50 into the temple and upheld the right to equality of worship.
The apex court, by a majority verdict of 4:1, on September 38, 2018, had lifted the ban that prevented women and girls between the age of 10 and 50 from entering the Ayyappa shrine in Kerala and had held that this centuries-old Hindu religious practice was illegal and unconstitutional.
The five-judge constitution had heard the pleas in an open court and reserved its decision after hearing the parties, including Nair Service Society, Thantry of the temple, The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and the state government, in favour and against the review plea.
Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led five-judge constitution bench reserved its decision over the review pleas on February 6. The apex court, by a majority verdict of 4:1, had called the practice of preventing younger women from entering the temple illegal and unconstitutional. Other members of the bench are justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra.
Devotees have blocked attempts of women in this age group, who have attempted to visit the temple. Women have even been threatened and pelted with stones during protests against the ruling even as some of them have managed to pray at the temple under police protection.
Traditionalists maintain that younger women should not be allowed inside the temple as it is dedicated to the celibate deity, Lord Ayyappan. The devotees say that Ayyappan has certain rights that have to be respected.
Both the Congress as well as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have backed the protests citing the sentiments of the devotees. The BJP has criticised the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led state government for trying to implement the ruling and blamed it for undermining Hindu traditions.
At least 50,000 protestors were booked at the height of agitation against the ruling. The protests led to a decrease in the number of pilgrims, who visited the temple during the three-month pilgrimage season from November to February.
On average, up to 20 million devotees would pray at the temple during the season.
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