SC to Examine Ban on entry of women at Sabarimala temple

SC to Examine Ban on entry of women at Sabarimala temple

A PIL was filed by the Young Lawyers Association, seeking entry for all women and girls in the Sabarimala temple which, as a practice, does not allow girls after attaining puberty to enter the premises. women, who have crossed menopause, are allowed.

The petition had contended that women, aged between 10 and 50, touching the idol was considered an act of desecration. An attempt was made to prosecute Kannada actor Jaimala on the plea of desecration following her disclosure that she entered the sanctum sanctorum and touched the idol in 1987. The priests conducted a special ritual to purify the idol.

The ban was enforced under Rule 3 (b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorization of Entry) Rules, 1965 (women at such time during which they are not by custom and usage allowed to enter a place of public worship).

While hearing this case Supreme Court Bench said that “The temple cannot prohibit entry (women), except on the basis of religion. Unless you have a constitutional right, you cannot prohibit entry. Anyway, we will examine it on February 8,”

SC Bench posed a query as to why women cannot be allowed inside and observed that the practice was not supported by the constitutional scheme.

Bench asked the government whether it was sure that women have not entered the temple premises in the last 1,500 years.

advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for Kerala, said the women, who have not attained menopause, cannot preserve the purity during the religious journey to the temple, located on a hilltop

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Monday, January 11, 2016

Tags – Sabarimala Kerala Temple