Sabarimala has witnessed protests after women of all age groups were allowed entry into the temple (File)
The Supreme Court today declined urgent hearing on a fresh plea of the Kerala government challenging the high court decision to set up a panel to oversee pilgrimage at Sabarimala.
Sabarimala has witnessed several protests after women of all age groups were allowed entry into the temple.
The Kerala High Court, on November 28, ordered setting up of a three member committee, comprising retired judges PR Raman, S Sirijagan and senior IPS officer A Hemachandran, and gave them the power to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul refused to accord urgent hearing on the plea of the state government and said it will come up for hearing in due regular course.
"Order of constituting a team of observers, particularly when there is already a Special Commissioner (who is a District Judge), a Devaswom ombudsman exercising powers, inter alia, over Sabarimala Temple, and a High Power Committee is unsustainable in law and such constitution of Team of Observers is arbitrary, illegal and violative of the basic constitutional structure of separation of powers," the state government said in its plea.
The government has assailed the high court order and submitted that the police has "effectively streamlined the protestors and has worked out a security system for the temple, particularly on the basis of intelligence inputs" and the High Court-appointed panel would take over the powers of the duly authorised security agency.
Earlier, the state government moved the top court seeking transfer of pending pleas relating to the Sabarimala Temple from the High Court to the apex court, alleging that members of "right wing outfits" are obstructing the implementation of its verdict allowing all women inside the shrine.
On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, paved the way for entry of women of all ages into the temple, saying the ban amounted to gender discrimination.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on January 22 in open court the petitions seeking a review of its judgement allowing all women inside the historic hill-top temple.