Supreme Court hears Sabarimala review petitions LIVE UPDATES: Two women, Kavitha Jakkal and Rehna Fathima, were stopped from entering the hill shrine in Kerala in October despite heavy police protection. (Express Photo/Vignesh Krishnamoorthy) Supreme Court hears Sabarimala review petitions LIVE UPDATES: Two women, Kavitha Jakkal and Rehna Fathima, were stopped from entering the hill shrine in Kerala in October despite heavy police protection. (Express Photo/Vignesh Krishnamoorthy)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the review petitions against its Sabarimala verdict in open court on January 22. However, the five-judge bench, comprising of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, clarified that there would be no stay on its September 28 verdict that allowed entry of women of all age groups in Sabarimala Temple.

This means women of all ages are still allowed to enter the Sabarimala temple till such time the SC hears the matter. The writ petitions are also likely to be listed along with the review petitions. Earlier in the day, a bench of CJI Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph deferred hearing on fresh petitions, saying the writ pleas would be heard subject to the decision of the review petitions. Read it here in Malayalam

The writ and review petitions were filed after the September 28 judgment of the Supreme Court, which held that women, irrespective of their age, have the right to enter the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The temple has opened twice since the apex court’s judgment but has been marred by protests. The SC decision holds importance ahead of the temple opening for a two-month-long annual festival on November 17.