Sabarimala judgment not final word: SC

New Delhi, December 5

The Supreme Court today said its 2018 verdict allowing entry of girls and women of all ages into the Ayyappa temple at Kerala's Sabarimala was not the “final word” as the matter was referred to a larger Bench.

The apex court’s observation came when senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for a woman devotee, Bindu Ammini, alleged violation of the 2018 verdict and said her client was attacked for her bid to enter the shrine. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, referring to a recent verdict of the apex court, said the 2018 judgment was not the final word as the issue was referred to a seven-judge Bench for consideration.

On November 14, a five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, in a 3:2 majority verdict, had referred the pleas seeking a review of its historic 2018 judgment to a seven-judge Bench of the apex court. — PTI