File Picture : The Indian Express
The Supreme Court has declined urgent hearing on a plea seeking review of its verdict allowing women of all age groups entry into the Sabarimala Temple.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph had considered the submission of Shylaja Vijayan, president, National Ayyappa Devotees Association through Mathews J Nedumpara, which contended that the five-judge Constitution bench verdict lifting the ban was “absolutely untenable and irrational”.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, had in its 4:1 verdict, said banning the entry of women into the shrine is gender discrimination and that the practice violates rights of Hindu women.
According to various media reports, protest marches against the SC verdict could be seen in various districts of the state like Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also declared a hartal in Pathanamthitta district, where the temple is situated.
