India's supreme court to review ban on women of menstruating age entering Hindu temple

Recent weeks has seen the Supreme Court ruling lead to clashes between conservative Hindu groups and police

A Hindu devotee holds a coconut plant as he waits with others in queues inside the premises of the Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta district in the southern state of Kerala, India, 18 October 2018. (Sivaram V / (REUTERS))

India’s top court on Tuesday agreed to review its ruling two months ago that removed a ban on women of menstruating age from entering a prominent Hindu temple in the southern state of Kerala, following widespread protests against the decision.

The Supreme Court will on 22 January hear all 49 petitions seeking a review of its previous decision, a lawyer directly involved in the case told reporters.

Conservative Hindu groups had prevented women from entering the Sabarimala hill temple in Kerala state in recent weeks, clashing with police and damaging cars and buses. Their action was in defiance of the Supreme Court ruling that lifted a centuries-old ban on women or girls aged from 10 years to 50 from entering the temple.

In September, a five-judge bench of the top court had ruled the ban was illegal, saying it infringed the right to worship.

Reuters