SC verdict in favour of women irks Sabarimala Temple head priest

The Supreme Court verdict on Friday that trashed the century-old Kerala’s Sabarimala temple rule and allowed women of all ages into the Ayyappa temple did not go down well with the temple head priest. The SC ruling was “disappointing”, but the shrine board will accept it, Sabarimala temple head priest Kandararu Rajeevarau said.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra-led five-judge constitution bench, in its 4:1 verdict, said banning entry of women to the Sabrimala temple is against the Constitution and violates the rights of Hindu women.

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A decision will be taken after studying the Supreme Court’s verdict in detail, Travancore Devaswom Board President A Padmakumar told PTI. The temple board will take steps to execute the SC directive, he said.

Padmakumar, as mentioned in PTI, said the board had informed the court that they wanted to continue with the existing ritual practices, but now they have no other option but to implement the verdict.

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Ayyappa Dharma Sena president Rahul Easwar, who is the grandson of late Sabarimala priest Kandararu Maheswararu, said they were going for a review petition.

The SC pronounced its verdict after hearing several pleas challenging the ban on entry of women of menstrual age in Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, saying women are not inferior to men and women of all age groups can enter the temple.

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