‘Make separate law for Sabarimala temple administration,’ SC tells Kerala govt

The Supreme Court has given the state government a deadline till the third week of January 2020.

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More than two months after the Kerala government said it was mulling a separate administrative authority for the Sabarimala temple, the Supreme Court has now issued a deadline to implement this.

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, directed the state government to make an exclusive law for Sabarimala temple, for the administration and welfare of the pilgrims to the shrine located in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. The apex court gave a deadline of the third week of January 2020 to frame the new law.

A three-judge bench led by Justice NV Ramana was considering a petition originally filed by Revathi Nal P Ramavarma Raja, a member of the Pandalam Royal family, on various issues concerning the temple. The Pandalam Royal family built the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, which was later handed over to the Travancore Deveswom Board, an independent board to manage Hindu temples.

On August 27 this year, the Kerala government had said that it was “considering enacting a separate legislation with regard to the administration of the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple”.

The Kerala government had submitted draft amendments in the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950. Stating that it was not enough, the SC said a separate law to administer Sabarimala temple will ensure proper management of the proceedings at the temple.

The Kerala government had said that it will constitute a special board to govern all temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board, including Sabarimala temple. Pandalam Palace challenged this and in the petition for protection of its rights, it asked for representation (of the chief priest of the temple) in the Sabarimala administration, along with Devaswom Board members. It was reportedly in 2011 that the royal family approached the Supreme Court based on an astrological finding that the temple required some changes.

While mentioning a special law for Sabarimala, the SC referred to the Guruvayur temple in Thrissur district. The activities of Guruvayur temple are administered by the Guruvayur Devaswom Board. While the day-to-day administration is managed by a government-appointed administrator, the Managing Committee includes the chief priest or tantri of the Guruvayur temple and non-traditional members, appointed by the Hindu ministers of the government.

‘Women on temple committee’

In the draft amendments, the Kerala government provided one-third quota for women in the Temple Advisory Committees.

The Supreme Court, however, asked how could women be part of the committee when a seven-judge bench is yet to examine review petitions challenging the apex court’s 2018 verdict allowing women between 10 and 50 years of age entry into the temple.

Replying to this, Kerala government reportedly said involving women in temple’s administration is part of its “liberal push”. It also stated that if the larger bench decided to reinstate the ban on women’s entry, then women over 50 years of age will be inducted into the temple’s advisory committee.

On September 14, in a 3:2 verdict, then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi-led bench referred the matter to a larger, seven-judge Constitution bench. On Wednesday, Justice Bhushan Gavai also clarified that the September 2018 judgment lifting the ban on women’s entry stands.

When the SC directed the government to form the new law by January, the counsel requested for an extension citing pilgrimage season during the months of December and February, reported Asianet.

Stating that pilgrimage season and formulating law were not interrelated, the court posted the matter for hearing for the third week of January 2020.

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