SC defers review plea for entry of women into mosque

The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred considering a PIL seeking entry of Muslim women in mosques across the country, saying it was adjourning it for a "different reason" for 10 days.

Though the top court did not specify the reason, it is expected that by the time, a five-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi would deliver its judgment on review petitions against the verdict on entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age to Kerala's Sabarimala temple.

On Tuesday, a bench of Justices S A Bobde, S Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari ordered for posting a joint petition filed by Pune-based Muslim couple, Yasmeen and Zuber Ahmad Peerzade after 10 days.

The petitioners sought a direction to allow entry of women in the mosque to offer prayers without any discrimination.

Besides the Centre, the National Commission for Women, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Central Wakf Council are the other parties in the matter.

On September 25, 2018, a five-judge bench allowed entry of all women to Kerala's Sabarimala temple, quashing the ban imposed on those women between 10 and 50 years of age. A batch of review petitions was filed in the court on which it had reserved its judgement.

Petitioner-couple contended the act of prohibition of females from entering mosque was void and unconstitutional as such practices were not only repugnant to the basic dignity of a woman as an individual but also violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 of the Constitution.