Petition Seeking Ban On Non-Hindus In Sabarimala: Kerala HC Seeks State Government’s Response 

Kerala High Court adjourned hearing a petition on 29 October seeking a ban on entry of non-Hindus in the Sabarimala temple after asking the State Government to respond to it, reports The Hindu.

Advocate T G Mohandas pleaded to enforce Rule 3 (a) framed under the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of entry) Act, 1965, which prohibits admission of non-Hindus into temples.

The Supreme Court had invalidated only Rule 3 (b) that prevented entry of women at such time during which they were not allowed by custom and usage to enter a place of public worship. However, the clauses (a), (c), (d), (f) of the rules were still in force, he contented.

He also accused the State government, Travancore Devaswom Board, and the police of attempting to create communal disharmony at Sabarimala by facilitating entry of non-Hindu women opposed to idol worship into the temple against the wishes of the devotees.

The Supreme Court had not fixed any time frame for implementing its verdict pronounced on 28 September. The government did not try to take the stakeholders into confidence before implementing the Supreme Court verdict, Mohandas said.

The petitioner has also sought a directive to conduct an independent investigation into the police action in permitting non-Hindu women and non-idol worshippers to violate of the rules.