Thiruvananthapuram: With Assembly elections on the horizon, the Left government-controlled Travancore Devaswom Board on Monday has dramatically reversed its position on the contentious issue of women’s entry at Sabarimala temple, signalling a fresh political turn in one of Kerala’s most polarising debates.
Board President K. Jayakumar told reporters that the Devaswom Board would withdraw its earlier affidavit supporting the entry of women of menstruating age and instead argue that long-standing temple customs must be protected.
The 2019 affidavit filed before the Supreme Court of India will be revised accordingly.
The move comes against the backdrop of mounting political sensitivity around the issue.
The earlier stand favouring women’s entry had triggered widespread protests and intense backlash from sections of devotees, dealing a political setback to the CPI-M-led government at the time.
The recalibration is widely seen as an attempt to blunt renewed mobilisation ahead of the polls.
The Left suffered one of its worst reversals at the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as they happened when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was batting for the entry of all women and even held a massive movement for it.
The Supreme Court last month directed all parties, including the state government, to submit their positions by March 14.
This places the Vijayan government in a delicate spot, as it must now formally articulate its stand before the apex court.
While the Devaswom Board has opted to defend tradition, the state’s position will be closely watched for political and legal implications.
A nine-judge Constitution Bench, to be constituted by the Chief Justice, will commence detailed hearings on April 7.
Written submissions must be filed in advance, and arguments are scheduled to conclude by April 22.
The Centre has already indicated support for the review petitions challenging the earlier five-judge verdict that permitted women’s entry.
Beyond Sabarimala, the court will examine 67 connected petitions raising wider constitutional questions on the interplay between individual rights under Articles 25 and 26, essential religious practices, constitutional morality, and the scope of judicial review in matters of faith.
With both the Devaswom Board and the state government set to clarify their stands, the Sabarimala issue appears poised to re-enter the political centre stage just months before voters head to the Assembly polls.
(IANS)
