Thiruvananthapuram | The Travancore Devasom board which runs the administration of the Sabarimala Shrine in Kerala accepting the Supreme Court verdict which allowed women between age 10 to 50 to enter the temple said that it won’t file a review petition in the matter.
Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan also clarified that state government also won’t file any review petition. Vijayan also ordered the concerned authorities to ensure the safety of devotees and women police personnel from Kerala and neighbouring states to be deployed at the shrine to maintain law and order.
Addressing the media, Vijayan said,” Devotees have been divided since the beginning. The Supreme Court considered all divergent views before announcing the final verdict. Our government accepts the decision. No woman who wants to go to Sabarimala can be stopped.” The Chief Minister further added, “Kerala, which is on its way to recovery after the once-in-a-century floods ravaged God’s own country, will make all arrangements for women devotees. From constructing toilets in the temple complex and safety arrangements along the 5 km uphill trek through forests to installing CCTV cameras, streetlights etc, the government is working out a plan for a safe pilgrimage.”
The Supreme Court on 28 September in a historic judgement allowed women from the age of 10 to 50 to enter in the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. The five-judge constitutional bench headed by former Chief justice Deepak Misra in a 4:1 verdict allowed the entry of women of all age in the Sabarimala Temple. Delivering the Judgement the bench aid, “Right to worship is given to all devotees and there can be no discrimination on the basis of gender.” The bench further added that “The practice of barring women in age group of 10-50 to go inside the temple is violative of constitutional principles.”
Justice Indu Malhotra in her dissenting opinion had said, “Issues of deep religious sentiments should not be ordinarily be interfered by the Court.” Malhotra observing her dissent added,” Court should not interfere unless if there is any aggrieved person from that section or religion.” She further stated that the Notion of rationality should not be seen in matters of religion.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
