Supreme Court of India
Landmark
Constitution Bench
|Friday, 28 September 2018Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala (Sabarimala Case) (2018) held that Rule 3(b) excluding women aged 10-50 from Sabarimala temple is unconstitutional
Citation: (2019) 11 SCC 1
A PIL challenged Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, which prohibited women aged 10-50 from entering the Sabarimala temple, citing the deity's celibate nature. The Constitution Bench, by a 4:1 majority, struck down the rule as unconstitutional. The majority held that the exclusion of women violated Articles 14, 15, 17, 21, and 25. The practice discriminated against women based on a biological attribute (menstruation) and denied them equal access to a public place of worship. Justice Indu Malhotra dissented, holding courts should not interfere in religious practices. The judgment triggered significant protests and review petitions are pending before a larger bench.
Rule 3(b) excluding women aged 10-50 from Sabarimala temple is unconstitutional
Exclusion based on physiological feature peculiar to women constitutes discrimination under Article 15
Women devotees of Lord Ayyappa constitute a class - denying them entry treats them as 'children of a lesser god'
Religion cannot be used as cover to deny women right to worship - Article 25 protects individual right
Devotees of Ayyappa do not constitute a separate religious denomination under Article 26
Original writ petition filed in Kerala High Court
Supreme Court refers matter to Constitution Bench
Constitution Bench commences hearing
Join 50,000+ legal professionals
Dissent: Courts should not interfere in matters of deep religious faith
4:1 majority strikes down prohibition on women's entry
Review petitions referred to larger seven-judge bench
