The Opposition parties and stakeholders in Kerala’s Sabrimala temple on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to hear review petitions against its judgment and demanded that women in the 10-50 age group should not be allowed inside the temple during the Mandala Makaravillakku pilgrim season, starting November 17.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, said that the state government would take a final call on the issue after consulting legal experts as the apex court had not stayed its September 28 decision. The LDF government, which has been tasked with implementing the directions of the apex court on the entry of women of all ages at the temple, has also called an all-party meeting on Thursday. After holding a meeting to review the facilities at the temple ahead of the upcoming pilgrim season on Tuesday, Vijayan said the verdict of the SC Constitutional bench “still remains in force”.