In a landmark judgement, Supreme Court has granted rights to women of all age groups to worship in Sabarimala Temple

Delhi: Delivering yet another landmark judgment, a five-judge bench headed by CJI Deepak Mishra ordered that women of all age groups should be allowed to worship in the renowned Sabarimala temple in Kerala, without any gender discrimination.

While four judges concurred on the “equal rights to women in offering worship at the famous hill shrine, Justice Indu Malhotra, was the lone dissenting voice, who said  "deep religious sentiments should see the interference of the Court”

However, the Chief Justice who condemned the ban of women in menstruating age (between 10 and 50) as something of a patriarchal notion and born out of patriarchal mindset observed that "devotion should not be subjected to discrimination". 

CJI, Deepak Mishra, who is about retire on October 2 also observed “Lord Aiyyappa is not a separate denomination. Religion is for one’s dignity and identity . Right to practice religions should be available to both men and women and gender bias should be struck away in the spirit of the constitution”.

A.Padma Kumar of Travancore Devaswom Board said that the custodian of the temple would file a review petition in the apex court.

“We will go for a review petition after getting support from other religious heads,” he noted.

Justice Nariman in his verdict said “Fundamental right under part three of the constitution is essential for the transformation of a society, Dignity of an individual is an unwavering principle of fundamental right".

It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court of India had ridden the society of archaic laws which do not hold relevance in modern, contemporary India. 

While the SC scrapped the 150-year-old Adultery law yesterday it came down on the gender discrimination in offering worship in Sabarimala temple, today. 

The verdict has received applauds from women across the nation.​