Will abide by Supreme court verdict, says Sabarimala temple board in U-turn
New Delhi, Feb 6 (IBNS) : Doing a U-turn, the Travancore Devasom Board, which manages the Sabarimala temple, told the Supreme Court Wednesday that it will “respect” the verdict lifting age restrictions on the entry of women to the hill shrine, media reports said.
Five judges of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, are hearing more than 60 petitions that urge a rethink of the verdict, opening the temple doors to women between the ages of 10 and 50.
The bench also comprises Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra.
The top court gave its landmark verdict on September 28, 2018 holding that women of all ages can visit the temple."The practice of age restriction can't be treated as an essential religious practice", it had said.
Justice Indu Malhotra, however, was of the view that it was not for courts to determine which religious practices are to be struck down except in issues of social evils like 'Sati'.
The top court's verdict triggered waves of protests across Kerala and as many as four dozen review petitions were filed seeking review.
Meanwhile, a plea seeking contempt action against the head priest of the Sabarimala temple has been filed, alleging that he had ordered cleaning of the premises after some women had visited the temple.
On Monday, the Kerala government admitted that just two women, between the age of 10 and 50, have entered the shrine following the apex court’s judgment.
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