The Supreme Court on Friday declined to pass any order on the pleas by two women seeking a direction to the Kerala government to ensure safe entry of women in the Sabarimala temple under police protection.
On the pleas by Rehana Fathima and Bindu Ammini, the court said the law was in their favour but it was using its discretion and would not pass an order because the issue was “very emotive.
Bindu Ammini, one the first two women to enter Sabarimala after the SC’s 2018 order allowing women of all ages entry, was attacked outside the Kochi Police Commissioner’s office on November 26.
On January 18 this year, the SC had directed the Kerala government to provide her and Kanaka Durga round-the-clock protection. This would continue, the court said on Friday.
The court said it would look into Rehana Fathima’s security concerns and pass appropriate orders, LiveLaw reported.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde and including Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, said the “balance of convenience” required that no orders are passed in the matter today as the issue had already been referred to a seven-judge bench.
According to LiveLaw, the CJI agreed with senior advocate Indira Jaising, who was representing Bindu Ammini, that there was no stay on its 2018 Sabarimala judgment and said: “but it is equally true that it is not final”.
CJI Bobde added that the court would not say anything further right now.
He said that the Supreme Court would endeavour to constitute a seven-judge bench at the earliest to hear the matter.