Mumbai: Today, on Friday 1st April, the Bombay High Court has delivered a landmark verdict where it has declared that women are not prevented by any law from entering places of worship.
The decision by the honourable Bombay High Court’s bench came out in connection with the Public Interest Litigation which was preferred by two- Vidya Bal and Nilima Varta, who pleaded that there should not be made any gender discrimination as far as the issue of entering a place of worship is concerned.
In the said petition, the petitioners found challenging the tradition prevailing amongst the community in India, where the Women’s entry inside the sanctum sactorum of the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahemednagar was prohibited. Being the place in the district- Ahemednagar in Maharashtra, the matter was brought before the High Court of Bombay. While in the challenge against the tradition, the petitioners found claiming that the barring of women is “arbitrary”, “illegal” and also “in violation of the fundamental rights of the citizens” as guaranteed under the provisions of the Constitution of India.
When the court’s decision came out, the petitioner-Nilima Vartak found telling media that “after the court’s verdict, women can now enter any temple”. Further she added that there should not be done any discrimination on the basis of gender, and especially, when the matter of place of worship is concerned. She said “the women have the right to exercise their religious freedom”.
Moreover, in her comments, she also found adding that, people are required to go to the court to enforce an act, is really very “unfortunate”, she also said if there is a “law” then there should be “implementation” of such law. Moreover, as per her, the court has not only given its verdict, but has also “promised” for its implementation.
On the part of the Government of Maharashtra, the Advocate General has found assuring the court that the act will be implemented, as told by one of the petitioners. Thus, now such discriminating tradition to go down, when law ensures entry of women in temples.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan,