On Sabarimala, the Supreme Court finds itself in the middle of a debate on whether it was correct to adjudicate on a religious matter.
On September 28, the Supreme Court lifted a long-standing ban on women in the age group of 10 to 50 from entering the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala. The court’s 4:1 verdict was meant to open the gates of the hill abode of Lord Ayyappa to all women.
The gates of the shrine have opened thrice after the judgment was pronounced, but no woman between the ages of 10 and 50 has been able to enter the temple as Kerala is shaken by widespread protests against the judgment. Sabarimala resembles a war zone amidst a stand-off between angry devotees opposing the implementation of the judgment and the police.
The judgment has evoked strong emotions and violent reactions, and created a political divide. And, the Supreme Court finds itself in the middle of a debate on whether it was correct for it to adjudicate on a matter that belongs to the realm of religious belief. As many as 49 review petitions have been filed before the court, which show the extent of popular opposition to its ruling.
The majority verdict found the ban on women a violation of their fundamental right to religion and worship as enshrined under Article 25 of the Constitution. It termed the restriction a violation of women’s right to equality. The verdict noted that the exclusion of women, which was based on certain physiological factors, placed them in a position of subordination, and perpetuated patriarchy.
This story is from the December 02, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 02, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BIOPIC AND BEYOND
Randeep Hooda may have proved his acting credentials with biopics, but typecast him at your own peril
Flutter of flimsy wings
Butterfly Research Centre in Bhimtal boasts 3,500 butterfly and moth specimens
SIMILAR STATES, DIFFERENT BATTLES
The Congress seems to have the edge in Telangana while in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Mohan Reddy are locked in a bitter battle
A RIDE TO REMEMBER
On board Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s bus as he was attacked
Winning 14 of 17 seats is my target
Anumula Revanth Reddy is on a mission to demonstrate a democratic and egalitarian facet of power and leadership.
LOTUS TAKES ROOT
Buoyed by its slowly growing acceptance among the voters in Tamil Nadu, the BJP is mounting its fiercest offensive ever
BLANK CHECK
Several factors favour an increase in the BJP’s vote share in Kerala, but whether the party can win a seat remains uncertain
CONGRESS HAS A HISTORY OF MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WITH COMMUNAL FORCES
In April 2021, as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was leading the CPI(M)’s assembly poll campaign to win a second consecutive term, a spirited debate erupted in Kerala over an epithet that party workers had bestowed on him.
POLL PLOT
Congress hopes its five guarantees’ will blunt BJP’s aggressive push
MODI'S GUARANTEES REMAIN IN SPEECHES, MY GUARANTEES ARE FULFILLED
The transformation is unmissable. The old-school mass leader Siddaramaiah has suddenly switched into the new avatar of a master strategist.