July 18, 2018:
On Wednesday, SC Bench expounded that,"Woman’s right to pray is equal to that of a man and it should not be dependent on law to enable you to do that".
SC Bench comprising of CJI Dipak Misra and Justice R F Nariman, Justice A M Khanwilkar, Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra was hearing contentious issue relating to ban on entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age in Kerala’s historic Sabarimala Temple.
Justice Chandrachud stated that,“Your (intervener) right to pray being a woman, is equal to that of a man and it is not dependent on a law to enable you to do that”.
CJI Dipak Misra stated that,“On what basis you (temple authorities) deny the entry. It is against Constitutional mandate. Once you open it for public, anybody can go.”
Supreme Court began hearing the case on Tuesday and asked Advocate appearing for petitioners Indian Young Lawyers’ Association and others to limit their arguments on the questions of reference made by a three-judge Bench of Supreme Court in 2017.
SC's Three Judge Bench had in 2017 asked a Constitutional Bench to examine legality of ban on entry of women in the age group of 10-50 at the temple.
Several Women Activists have opposed the ban on the entry of women inside the temple.
In January, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages Sabarimala Temple, had decided to make proof-of-age documents mandatory for female devotees at the shrine.
Source Indian Express
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