Women have fundamental right to enter Sabarimala temple, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that banning the entry of women in Sabarimala by the temple authorities is unconstitutional and questioned the temple authorities regarding the same.

"On what basis you (temple authorities) deny the entry. It is against the Constitutional mandate. Once you open it for the public, anybody can go," observed the Chief Justice of India, Dipak Mishra.

Supreme Court Judge DY Chandrachud also said that the right to pray is equal for both men and women.

"Your (intervener) right to pray being a woman, is equal to that of a man and it is not dependent on a law to enable you to do that," observed Justice Chandrachud.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer, Indira Jaising, one of the interveners in the case argued that worship is something one's own right.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer and Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) Raju Ramachandran, also argued before the Supreme Courts' five-judge Constitution bench on the Sabarimala temple issue that women should be allowed entry in the temple.