Kerala Govt to Consult Legal Experts on Supreme Court's Sabarimala Verdict, Says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram The LDF government would consult legal experts to get more clarity on the Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday, hours after the apex court decided to refer the case to a larger bench.

The top court has decided to set up a larger bench to re-examine religious issues including those arising out of its earlier verdict that lifted a centuries-old ban on women of menstruating age visiting the shrine.

Ahead of the pilgrimage season commencing on November 17, Vijayan, who met the media here to explain the government stand in the backdrop of the apex court's decision, said the entry of women into the shrine will be decided only after clearing "certain doubts and confusions" in the order.

He also said the state government was always ready to implement the court order, whatsoever it may be.

"It seems like the September 28, 2018, order still stands. However, there are certain confusions with regard to today's order.The court ordered for a seven-judge bench to consider various gender related issues. It had kept pending the review petitions on Sabarimala. We need to get more clarity on various matters," Vijayan said.

The five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi Thursday said a larger bench will re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple and mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community.

A 3:2 verdict decided to keep pending the pleas seeking a review of its decision regarding the entry of women into the shrine, and said restrictions on women in religious places was not restricted to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well.

Vijayan said the Supreme Court has not changed its stand with regard to the September 28 order of 2018 that allowed women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine.

"We will study all legal aspects of the order..we will consult legal experts and decide the future course," he said when asked about the entry of women of all age groups in to the shrine since there was no stay.

Meanwhile, the State police department has warned that stringent action would be taken against those spreading false messages on social media and incite violence in the backdrop of the Sabarimala verdict.

Those who spread messages, through social media, affecting the communal harmony of the state will be arrested immediately and charged under non-bailable sections, a police press release said.

All sorts of accounts across various social media platforms are being closely monitored by the Cyber Cell, Cyberdom and Cyber Police Stations, the release added.