SC refuses urgent hearing to review petition on Sabarimala verdict

The court will hear on November 13 petitions challenging its September 28 verdict that removed the age restriction on the entry of women to the temple.

Supreme Court (file)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to give an urgent hearing to a review petition against its verdict allowing entry of women of all ages to Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The court will hear on November 13 petitions challenging its September 28 verdict that removed the age restriction on the entry of women to the temple. The temple opens for worship for 24 hours on November 5-6.

The Supreme Court verdict had triggered huge protests in Kerala where devotees opposed the move to allow women between the ages of 10 and 50 enter the temple, citing a tradition followed for centuries that bars women of menstruating age from the shrine. No woman in the erstwhile ‘barred age’ of 10-50 was successful in entering the shrine during the monthly rituals in October when it opened for the first time after the landmark verdict.

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Protesters blocked the entry of a few women, with the head priest of the shrine even threatening to lock it if they attempt to enter it. There are a total of 19 petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the verdict.

The ruling CPI(M) government in the state accepted the order, while opposition Congress and BJP have also demanded a review.

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