7-judge Supreme Court bench to hear Sabarimala review plea

Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, Kerala. File pic/ AFP

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said a seven-judge bench will re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple and mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community. While the five-judge bench unanimously agreed to refer the religious issues to a larger bench, it gave a 3:2 split decision on petitions seeking a review of the apex court's September 2018 decision allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala.

The judges said restrictions on women in religious places was not restricted to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well. There is no clarity whether women can enter the shrine, which is scheduled to open for worship from November 17.

Allow women till SC decides matter

Women's rights activist Trupti Desai said women should be allowed in temple till the SC verdict comes. "What I understand is that till the SC order comes, entry is open for women and no one should protest... I am going to offer prayers on November 16," she said.

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