Sabarimala verdict: Congress leader meets Pandalam royal family

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala met members of the royal family of Pandalam, which is considered to be sacred to believers of Lord Ayyappa, to discuss the recently-pronounced Sabarimala verdict.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the royal family, Chennithala said a discussion will be held among all former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board and members to mull over the verdict which removes all restrictions on the entry of women into the holy shrine.

"United Democratic Front (UDF) government supports the views of devotees. Women weren't banned in Sabarimala, only women of a particular age weren't allowed. This custom is being followed for more than 5000 years. UDF has called all former Devaswom Board Presidents and members of our party to have a discussion tomorrow," he said.

Earlier in the day, both the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Kerala government said no review petition will be filed by either of the parties against the Sabarimala verdict.

Last week, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had said that a woman has as much right to pray as their male counterpart, adding that the relationship with the Almighty should not be defined by any biological factors.

The order, which permitted women of any age to enter the Sabarimala temple, was questioned by the temple board, which had been relentlessly defending the age-old tradition of barring women between 10 and 50 from entering the temple.

The Sabarimala Temple located in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district is dedicated to the Hindu deity Ayyappa. The temple management considers the deity to be eternal celibate which made it impossible for women to enter the temple for decades.