Sabarimala Women’s Entry: Govt to Take Appropriate Stand After Detailed Discussions, Says P Rajeev

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government will take an appropriate stand on the Sabarimala women’s entry issue after detailed discussions and examination of constitutional aspects, State Law Minister P Rajeev said on Monday.

His statement came after the Supreme Court decided to constitute a nine-judge Bench to hear a batch of petitions related to discrimination against women in religious practices, including the Sabarimala temple issue.

Rajeev said the matter involves several constitutional questions and cannot be reduced to a simple “yes or no” response. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has made it clear that the review petitions will be considered only after addressing seven constitutional issues. “We have sufficient time to inform our stand before the court. This is not an issue that can be decided in a minute,” he said.

The minister stressed that the government is committed to protecting the faith of believers while also respecting constitutional principles. “We are here to safeguard the interests of devotees. At the same time, the matter has constitutional dimensions that must be examined carefully,” he said.

Rajeev recalled that in its earlier affidavit, the state government had suggested the formation of a commission comprising scholars with deep knowledge of Hindu beliefs to study the issue in detail. Though the Supreme Court did not accept that proposal at the time, he said the government’s stand was clear from that suggestion.

“We will present a well-considered position before the Supreme Court after examining all constitutional aspects. There is ample time for that,” the minister said.

Earlier in the day, a Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, said the nine-judge Bench would begin the final hearing on April 7 and is likely to conclude it by April 22. The court has directed all parties to file their written submissions by March 14.