Ready to Allow Women in Sabarimala Temple: Kerala Government

The state maintained that a woman cannot be debarred from entering any shrine because of any biological process.

Devotees wait to enter the Sabarimala Temple. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

In a U-turn, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of Kerala today informed the Supreme Court that it favoured the entry of women of all age groups in the Sabarimala temple in the state.

The counsel for the state government, which had earlier supported the ban on women's entry in the temple in its additional affidavit filed in July this year, told the apex court it will now go by its original response filed in 2007, favouring entry of women in the temple premises.

Initially, the LDF government had taken a progressive stand in 2007 by favouring women's entry in the temple, which was over-turned by the Congress-led United Democratic Front dispensation later.

However, the UDF, before losing power to the LDF this year, had taken a view that it was against the entry of women of the age group of 10-to-50 years into the temple as such a practice was being followed since time immemorial.

On being asked as to what is the stand of the state... women of any age group should not be debarred from entry into the temple to worship the deity.

SC Bench

The bench also recorded the submission of senior advocate KK Venugopal, appearing for the Travancore Devaswom Board which manages the hill-top shrine, that the state cannot afford to alter its stand as per their convenience.

The bench, which has now fixed the matter for hearing on 13 February 2017, said the stand of the government is not the final one as it will take a decision after deliberating upon various aspects including the constitutional provisions with regard to gender equality.

Can a woman, because of the biological phenomenon, be debarred from entering into the temple. Can there be a prohibition in law...she may or may not go to the temple, it is her choice.

SC Bench

The apex court had on 11 July indicated that it may refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of the centuries-old practice of barring entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age in the temple, saying it pertains to violation of fundamental rights.

The apex court had observed that women are conferred rights under the Constitution and it would pass a detailed order in case the matter is referred to a five-judge constitution bench.

The management of the Sabarimala temple, located on a hilltop in the Western Ghats of Pathanamthitta district, had earlier told the court that the ban on entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years was because they cannot maintain "purity" on account of menstruation.

(With inputs from PTI)