“Restrictions can’t be treated as essential religious practices” says SC in a breakthrough ruling in the Sabarimala temple case

In what came as a four to one judgement the Supreme Court has asked the Sabarimala temple board to lift its ban which prohibits women between the ages of 10 to 50 from entering the temple. The only women on the bench Justice Indu Malhotra dissented and stated that the court should not interfere in matters of religion. The Supreme Court stated that the custom was almost equal to untouchability and denied women the right to visit the temple during the yearly proceedings.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra stated that “All devotes are equal and no one should be discriminated on the basis of their gender.” Justice DY Chandrachud added to this by saying that restricting menstruating women from entering the temple was like untouchability and religion cannot deny women the right to worship. 

For centuries women were not allowed to enter the Sabarimala Temple which remains open for 127 days in a year giving the reason that Lord Ayyappa was a celibate. The temple board itself stated its disappointment but said that they accept the Supreme Court’s ruling, many members of the board, however, are still in disagreement with the ruling. 

The Kerala government itself has accepted the Supreme Court’s verdict in the matter and expressed that it favoured the entry of women in the temple.