Sabarimala review petitions: National Ayyappa Devotees' Association seeks live telecast of proceedings

The National Ayyappa Devotees' Association (NADA) on Friday filed an application in the Supreme Court, seeking video-recording and live-telecast of the proceedings of review petitions, which challenge the apex court's verdict allowing the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala Temple.

The Constitution bench is scheduled to hear the review petitions on January 22.

Protests and violence have gripped several parts of Kerala ever since three women of menstruating age entered the hilltop shrine recently.

Accompanied by police personnel, 40-year-old Bindu and 39-year-old Kanakadurga made history by becoming the first women of mensturating age to enter the temple and offer prayers during the wee hours of January 2.

This was followed by 36-year-old Dalit activist Manju, who dyed her hair grey in order to look above her age and entered the temple on January 8.

On January 3, a state-wide shutdown was enforced in protest against Bindu and Kanakadurga's entry into the temple. A case was registered against four RSS activists for hurling a country-made bomb at Nedumangad police station during the protests that day.

On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court had lifted the ban on the entry of women between 10 to 50 years into the Lord Ayyappa shrine.