Only limited arrangements for women possible this season in Sabarimala: Govt to HC

The Travancore Devaswom Board, administering the Sabarimala temple, Wednesday informed the Kerala High Court it can only make limited arrangements for women devotees expected to visit the shrine in the coming pilgrimage season.

In a report submitted in response to the court's recent directive, the board said it cannot make elaborate facilities this season. It said 500 toilets will be set up for women devotees in the pilgrim centre for the season commencing next month.

The report said only limited facilities could be arranged for women for changing their clothes near the Pamba river at the foothill of Sabarimala.

A bench comprising Justices P R Ramachandra Menon and Devan Ramachandran had on October 1 had directed the board to inform it about the steps planned to be implemented for women devotees in view of a Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all ages in the shrine.

The bench was considering a periodical report by the Sabarimala special commissioner mandated to oversee matters related to the shrine and Sabarimala.

On September 28, a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age into the famous hill shrine.

The LDF government in Kerala has said it would implement the order and rejected demands from the Congress, the BJP and others for filing a review petition against the verdict, protests over which are being held by Hindu outfits.

The state government has said it was "impractical" to have separate queues for women at Sabarimala, though it decided to facilitate their visits to the Ayyappa temple by providing better facilities.