Supreme Court allows women entry into Sabarimala temple

What comes in as the latest news is the Supreme Court verdict of allowing women to enter into Lord Ayyappa’s Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The constitutional bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra said that the rules put forth by the temple officials violated Articles 14 and 25 of the Constitution. The 27-year-old case which depended on the judgment whether to allow women between 10 to 50 years of age into the temple, has turned out to be a positive verdict for the women devotees.

The bench mentioned that under Article 25 and 26 (Freedom to practice religion) of the Constitution and observed that a person can only be restrained on the grounds of “public health, public order, and morality”.

Supporting the case from the temple officials, Travancore Devaswom Board’s end, Senior lawyer AM Singhvi mentioned that the practice of not allowing women of the particular mentioned age is because of Lord Ayyappa being a ‘Naishtika Brahmacharya’ (celibate for life).

Also, the Kerala Government has taken the stand for the women devotees adding that women of all age should be allowed into the shrine. the apex court gave a verdict that the fundamental right of freedom to practice religion is provided to every person and women have an equal right just as the men to offer their prayer at the temple.