SC declines early hearing of plea against 'thanthri'

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined a plea for urgent consideration of a contempt petition against 'thanthri' (priest) of Sabarimala temple of Kerala for carrying out “purification” of the shrine after the entry of two women below the age of 50 years.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul told advocate P V Dinesh, who sought contempt action in the matter, that the court had already fixed the Sabarimala matter for consideration for January 22.

“We cannot hear the matter in a piece-meal manner, we cannot constitute and re-constitute bench for the purpose,” the bench said.

Dinesh claimed that the priest had on Wednesday closed the temple for an hour after entry of two women to carry out purification of the shrine which was in contempt of the apex court's Constitution bench judgement of September 28.

The court had earlier agreed to give an open court hearing on January 22 on review petitions filed against the judgement by a five-judge bench allowing entry of women to the temple.

The court had then clarified there is no stay on the judgement.