Sabarimala Temple Case: Supreme Court allows entry of women of all age groups in Kerala's Sabarimala temple

Supreme Court allows entry of women of all age groups in Kerala's Sabarimala temple. "Right to worship is given to all devotees and there can be no discrimination on the basis of gender," says Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra abolishing the ban of women in Kerala's Sabarimala temple.

"The practice of barring women in age group of 10-50 to go inside the temple is violative of constitutional principles," says Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

"We will go for a review petition after getting support from other religious heads," Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president, A Padmakumar said.

The women aged between 10 and 50 were not allowed to enter Kerala’s famous Sabarimala temple, located at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Pathanamthitta district. As menstruating women are restricted from offering prayers inside the temple to the presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa.

Earlier on 1st August, the five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had reserved its verdict on a bunch of the petitions that were challenged the entry of women inside the temple after hearing the case for eight days.

As per the Rule, 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules of 1965, the entry of the women of aged 10-50 years are restricted to enter the Sabarimala Temple and offer prayer to the deity, Lord Ayyappa.

Managed by the Travancore Debaswom Board (TDB), the Sabarimala Temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, who is a perpetual minor and resides here in Naishtik Bharamchari (eternal celibate) status.

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