Sabarimala verdict: Supreme Court says no urgent hearing on review plea

New Delhi, Oct 9: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled out an urgent hearing of a plea seeking a review of its verdict allowing women into Kerala's Sabarimala temple.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph had considered the submission of Shylaja Vijayan, president, National Ayyappa Devotees Association through Mathews J Nedumpara, which contended that the five-judge Constitution bench verdict lifting the ban was "absolutely untenable and irrational".

The apex court said there will be no out of turn hearing of bunch of review petitions against Sabrimala judgment.

"It will be listed in due court," the bench said, adding that in any case, the review petition would be heard in chamber and not in open court. It also said the review petition could only be taken up after the Dussehra vacation.

The review plea was filed by Shylaja Vijayan, the president of the National Ayyappa Devotees Association.

In the review plea, it is stated," the petitioners believe that no legal luminary, not even the greatest of jurists or judge, can be a match to the common sense and wisdom of the masses. No judicial pronouncement, even of the highest judicial tribunal in this country can be a match for the voice of the people, the petition stated while terming the original verdict as absolutely untenable, irrational and perverse.

The review petition comes in the wake of the Kerala government refusing to interfere and file an appeal in the Supreme Court. There have been massive protests on the streets questioning the verdict of the SC, which allowed the entry of women of all ages into the temple.

On September 28, a five-judge constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, had in its 4:1 verdict, said banning the entry of women into the shrine is gender discrimination and that the practice violates rights of Hindu women.