SC begins hearing on women's entry into Sabarimala temple
New Delhi, July 17: The Supreme Court on Tuesday began hearing on whether prohibiting the entry of women in Kerala's Sabarimala temple on grounds of biological factors was discriminatory and violative of the constitution.
Article 14 guarantees the right to equality, Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and Article 17 abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice.
The constitution bench comprising of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra will address four questions framed by a three judge bench while referring the matter to a five judge constitution bench on October 13, 2017.
The petitioner -- the Indian Young Lawyers Association -- has challenged the 800-year-old practice of prohibiting the entry of women into the famed Lord Ayyappan Temple.
The PIL has sought direction to the Kerala government, the Travancore Devaswom Board, Chief Thanthri (priest) of Sabarimala Temple and the District Magistrate of Pathanamthitta to ensure entry of female devotees between the age group of 10-50.
Appearing for the petitioner, counsel Ravi Prakash Gupta told the court the restrictions on the entry of women in Sabarimala temple is not the essence of their religious affairs as discrimination on the entry of women in the temple is "neither a ritual nor a ceremony associated with Hindu religion".
Gupta said: "Mere sight of a woman does not affect anybody's celibacy, if one has take oath of it, otherwise such oath has no meaning."
The constitution bench will examine whether the exclusion of women based on biological factors amounts to "discrimination" and violates the very core of Articles 14, 15 and 17 and not protected by 'morality' as used in Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
In the coming days, the court will hear arguments focusing on whether excluding women (in the age group of 10-50 years) constitutes an "essential religious practice" under Article 25, and "whether a religious institution can assert a claim in that regard under the umbrella of right to manage its own affairs in the matters of religion?"
Besides, the court will address the question whether "Ayyappa Temple has a denominational character" and if it was permissible for religious denomination managed by a statutory board and is funded by the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments to indulge in practices "violating the constitutional principles/morality".
Another question to be addressed is whether Rule 3 of Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules permits 'religious denomination' to ban entry of women between the age of 10-50 years.
If Rule 3 permitted the ban on the entry of women in Sabarimala temple, then would it not be foul of Articles 14 and 15(3), which says that nothing in the provision prohibiting discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth shall prevent the state "from making any special provision for women and children".
The constitution bench will also examine whether Rule 3(b) is ultra vires of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Act, 1965, and if not, is it violative of the fundamental rights.
The court on Tuesday asked the petitioner and others to conclude their arguments on Wednesday.
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Section of TN hotels declare holiday citing shortage of LPG cylinders
Chennai, Mar 11 (PTI): A section of hotels and restaurants operating in Chennai and parts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday declared a holiday following the lack of commercial LPG supply to the establishments, employees said.
Early morning customers who had come for tea and coffee expressed disappointment over the closure of the hotels and expressed hope that the Centre would take up measures to ease the situation.
"Due to lack of LPG supply, March 11, 2026 has been declared a holiday," a notice displayed in a popular hotel in the city said on Wednesday.
"If this is the case for commercial LPG, then it may impact the domestic LPG supply also. Already, the booking period for domestic gas has been extended from the existing 21 days to 25 days. We do not know what we will do," a resident who had come for a coffee said, after the hotel in Thiyagaraya Nagar declared a holiday.
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On March 10, the hotel association had voiced concern over sustaining their businesses as the existing stock of commercial LPG "would be sufficient to run the outlet only for one or two days".
Most of the restaurants have also cut the number of food items offered to customers and opted to prepare foods that require minimal usage of the commercial LPG cylinders.
"We have prepared idli, sambhar and vada. We have removed dosa varieties. In the afternoon and dinner, the menu will be variety rices only, since dosa and fried rice items require a continuous supply of LPG," a hotel owner in the famous East Coast Road said.
Representatives of Tamil Nadu Hotels Associations, a body representing the hotels and restaurants in the state, called on Chief Minister M K Stalin on March 10 and apprised him about the situation.
Following his interaction with the representatives, Stalin said he had requested the Union government to ensure that the shortage of commercial LPG does not affect the public, commercial establishments or MSMEs.
