Devaswom Board U-turn in SC, supports entry of women into Sabarimala temple
New Delhi, Feb 6: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which runs the historic Sabarimala temple in Kerala, took a U-turn in the Supreme Court on Wednesday by supporting its verdict which had allowed women of all age groups to enter the shrine.
The Board, which also comprise the state government nominees, told a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that it is high time that a particular class not be discriminated on the ground of "biological attributes".
In the forenoon, the Kerala government took the stand that it was in agreement with the September 28 last year verdict and had urged dismissal of petitions seeking review of the verdict.
"Article 25 (1) equally entitles all persons to practice religion," senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for TDB, told the bench which also comprise Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra.
The Board had earlier vehemently opposed the PIL by Indian Young Lawyers Association saying that the celibate character of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala temple was a unique religious feature which was protected under the constitution.
"Women cannot be excluded from any walk of life on biological attributes... equality is the dominant theme of the Constitution", said Dwivedi adding that people should gracefully accept the apex court verdict.
The apex court is hearing a batch of petitions seeking review of the verdict allowing the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala shrine.
On September 28, a five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by the then CJI Dipak Misra, in a 4:1 verdict had paved the way for entry of women of all ages into the shrine, saying the ban amounted to gender discrimination.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong rejigs Kerala unit with eye of 2026 polls, appoints Sunny Joseph as its chief
New Delhi, May 8 (PTI): The Congress initiated organisational changes in its Kerala unit by appointing Sunny Joseph as the chief in place of K Sudhakaran and naming three new working presidents on Thursday.
Joseph, a legislator in the Kerala Assembly, will lead the state unit of the grand old party in next year's assembly polls. He will supported by newly appointed working presidents P C Vishnunadh and A P Anil Kumar and Shafi Parambil.
While Vishnunadh and Kumar are MLAs, Parambil is an MP.
Besides the four, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge also appointed Adoor Prakash, a party MP, as the convener of the United Democratic Front alliance in the state.
The appointments have been made with an eye on the 2026 state polls with the tenure of the current assembly ending on May 23, next year.
"The Congress president has appointed the president and working presidents of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), and also approved the proposal of the appointment of the convenor of the UDF, with immediate effect.
"The new president of KPCC will be Sunny Joseph, MLA, and the convenor of the UDF will be Adoor Prakash, MP. The new working presidents of the KPCC are P C Vishnunadh, MLA, A P Anil Kumar, MLA and Shafi Parambil, MP," a statement from AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said.
In the statement, the party appreciated the contributions of the outgoing Kerala unit chief K. Sudhakaran, MP and that of the UDF convenor M M Hassan.
"The party also conveys its appreciation for the contributions of the outgoing working presidents of the KPCC, Kodikkunnil Suresh, MP, T N Prathapan, and T. Siddique, MLA," he also said in the statement.
P C Vishnunadh, MLA, is being relieved of his current responsibilities as AICC Secretary, the party also said in its statement.
In another statement, Venugopal said the Congress president has appointed K Sudhakaran, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, both MPs, as permanent invitees to the Congress Working Committee with immediate effect.
Akhilesh Prasad Singh was recently replaced as Bihar Congress chief.
Hearty congratulations to new #KPCC President #SunnyJoseph, #UDF Convenor #AdoorPrakash & working presidents #APAnilKimar, #PCVishnunath & #ShafiParambil.
— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) May 8, 2025
Thanks to outgoing KPCC president #KSudhakaran who has been appointed as the permanent appointee to #AICC working committe. pic.twitter.com/lqvaBe1XR9
