Published On : Fri, Sep 28th, 2018

Accept verdict, will implement it: Sabarimala temple board

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First reactions from the Travancore Devaswom Board president, A Padmakumar, on the Supreme Court allowing the entry of all women in Keralas Sabarimala temple.

Padmakumar says the board will go in for a review petition after getting support from other religious heads. “We are disappointed, but accept the Supreme Court verdict.”

Sabarimala head priest Kandararu Rajeevarau echoed the sentiment saying the Supreme Court’s verdict was “disappointing”, but the shrine board will accept it.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in its 4:1 verdict, said banning entry of women to Kerala’s Sabrimala temple is gender discrimination and the practice violates rights of Hindu women.

TDB President A Padmakumar told media that the Supreme Court’s verdict will be studied in detail and further course of action will be decided after that.

Padmakumar said the board had informed the court that they wanted to continue with the existing ritual practices, but now they have no other option but to implement the verdict. The board, he said, will take steps to execute the apex court directive. It will study the judgement seriously, he said.

However, Rahul Easwar, President of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena, said they were going for a review petition. Easwar is the grandson of late Sabarimala priest Kandararu Maheswararu, who died in May this year.

The court pronounced its verdict on a clutch of pleas challenging the ban on entry of women of menstrual age in Kerala’s Sabrimala temple and said law and society are tasked with the task to act as levellers.