Delivering its verdict on the much awaited Sabarimala Temple case, the Supreme Court of India has today decreed that women of all ages should be allowed entry into the temple.
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According to reports, CJI Deepak Mishra, reading out the verdict, stated that women are in no way inferior to men and relationship with God cannot be defined by biological and physiological factors. 4 judges of the bench had the similar opinion while, the only female judge on the bench, Justice Indu Malhotra had a dissenting opinion.
By this verdict, the apex court has struck down the Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, which restricted the entry of women between the ages of 10 and 50 into the Sabarimala Temple.
CJI Mishra reportedly read that said rule was a clear violation of the right of Hindu women to practice their religion under article 25 and further added that the entry restriction for women of reproductive age is not an essential part of Hinduism.
The court had first issued a notice in the case in August 2006. The Travancore Devaswom Board, the Nair Service Society, and the Padalam royal family, as well as some groups like People for Dharma had argued in favour of the rule, stating that the traditional practices of the temple must be preserved.