Shani Shingnapur row: Aurangabad Court issues notices to Centre, Maharashtra Govt.

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court on Saturday issued notices to the Union Government, the Maharashtra Government and the Ahmednagar District administration over the Shani Shingnapur row.

The bench asked all parties to file their replies by February 16.

Meanwhile, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has offered to help to end the ongoing impasse between women activists and locals over the entry of women in the shrine.

Women members and supporters of the Bhumata Brigade arrived from Pune on Tuesday in six buses with an aim to enter the temple's sanctorum where the idol of Lord Shani is placed on an open-air platform.

However, the group led by Trupti Desai was stopped from marching towards the temple by police near Supa. They were also detained by police for some time, but released later.

After being stopped by the police, Trupti said it was a "black day" for women as they were being stopped from exercising their rights.

The temple drew attention in November 2015 after a woman had offered prayers at the popular shrine in "breach" of age-old practice that prohibits entry of women, after which the temple committee had to suspend seven security men and the villagers to perform purification rituals.

The temple attracts millions of tourists and devotees from across the country and abroad.