Women have the right to enter, pray in Sabarimala temple

• Supreme Court observed that banning women aged between 10 and 50 from entering the Sabarimala temple in Kerala runs afoul of their constitutional rights.
• Hearing a batch of petitions challenging the age-old prohibition on women in the menstruating age group in the famed hill shrine, the apex court said women’s right to worship is a constitutional one and it does not depend on laws.

Observations made by the Court:

• In a public place of worship, a woman can enter, where a man can go. What applies to a man, applies to a woman.
• Women and their physiological phenomena are creations of God. If not God, of nature. Why should this (menstruation) be a reason for exclusion for employment or worship or anything
• Article 25 (1) mandates freedom of conscience and right to practise religion. “All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion”. This means right to pray is a constitutional right.
• Also, the Constitution upholds the ideals of liberty of thought, expression, belief and faith, be it for man or woman.
• Therefore, the discrimination is a violation of the rights to equality and gender justice.

By: Vishal