Kerala government U-turn on Sabarimala temple
At present women devotees between the age group of 10 and 50 are not allowed entry to the temple.
New Delhi: Changing its earlier stand, the Kerala government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that women of all ages should be allowed entry and worship at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple without any restriction. At present women devotees between the age group of 10 and 50 are not allowed entry to the temple.
During the pilgrimage season of November to January, the existing practice of not allowing women between 10 and 50 will continue as the court has posted the matter for final hearing on February 20, 2017, after the conclusion of the season.
Senior counsel Jaideep Gupta, appearing for Kerala told a three-judge Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Ms. R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan that the Kerala government was sticking to its 2007 stand when it filed an affidavit seeking removal of the ban on entry of women in the age group of 10 and 50.
He said he was withdrawing the additional affidavit filed soon after the present LDF government headed by Pinayari Vijayan came to power supporting the stand of the then UDF government to continue the existing ban.