New Delhi (CNN) More than 50 women have entered the revered Sabarimala temple in India's southern Kerala state in recent weeks, defying protests from orthodox Hindus.

The protesters are opposed to a September order by the country's top court that scrapped a rule barring women of child-bearing age from visiting the temple.

Kerala's state government -- which backs the scrapping of the gender rule -- disclosed that 51 women had entered the temple in a submission Friday to the Supreme Court in New Delhi, B.G. Harindranath, the top official in the Kerala government's law department, told CNN.

"We provided them police cover because there were lots of people who were opposed to it ... certain political parties who did not want the women to enter and certain other groups," he said.

On January 2, Bindu Ammini, 40, a law lecturer, and Kanakadurga, 39, a local government employee, made history when they became the first women to enter the shrine since the September ruling lifted the ban on women ages 10 to 50.

Read More