Private Member Bill on Sabarimala to be Introduced in Lok Sabha, Devaswom Board Asks For Ordinance

Last year, a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by the then CJI Dipak Misra, had allowed the entry of women of all ages in the shrine.

New Delhi: Revolutionary Socialist Party’s Member of Parliament NK Premachandran will introduce a private member bill today in Lok Sabha to restore the status quo of the practices of Sabarimala temple in Kerala as existed on September 1, 2018.

Kerala Devaswom Board minister, Kadakampally Surendran said that if customs and traditions can be protected by law then it is good and it is not appropriate to drag devotees to the streets.

“Earlier too, we had requested Centre to pass legislation regarding this,” said the minister.

He said that the centre should take immediate action to make a law and if that takes time then an Ordinance should be brought based on which the government can function or proceed further.

Kerala Devaswom Minister, Kadakampally Surendran on Sabarimala issue: Centre should take immediate action to make a law. If that takes time, then an Ordinance should be brought based on which the government can function or proceed further.

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019

In February, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages Sabarimala shrine, had changed its stand and told the Supreme Court that women of all age groups should be allowed to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple.

Earlier on September 28, 2018,  a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by the then CJI Dipak Misra, in a 4:1 verdict had paved the way for the entry of women of all ages into the shrine, saying the ban amounted to gender discrimination.