Supreme Court refers Sabarimala case to larger constitution bench

Supreme Court on Thursday referred the review petitions in the Sabarimala case to a larger constitution bench.

A seven-judge bench will now hear the case. The verdict was reached with a 3:2 majority with Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice DY Chandrachud giving a dissenting judgement. 

India's top court had on September 28 last year had permitted the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.

A five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in its 4:1 verdict had said banning women's entry into the temple was gender discrimination and violated the rights of Hindu women.

Women of menstruating age, that is between the ages of 10 and 50, were barred from entering the Sabarimala temple by its officials, who argued that the temple deity, Lord Ayyappa, had taken a vow of celibacy.

Following the verdict, several women had tried to enter the temple amid heavy security even as protesters surrounded them and opposed their movement into the temple.