THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a fix over the Supreme Court verdict just before the start of Mandala-Makara Vilakku season, the state government is looking at possible options in the Sabarimala women’s entry fiasco. Even while saying that the state would go ahead with its current stance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has hinted that the government would seek opinion from legal experts. “Its previous order of allowing women of all ages to enter the temple still exists as per my understandings. The government is ready to consult with legal experts whether the present verdict has any other meaning or implications,” he said.
Perplexed with the next course of action, the government will consult the Advocate General or the State Attorney.On the other hand, it has budged for a consensus by calling for an all-party meet on Thursday to discuss the matter.
Giving ample indication that the state government would go ahead with its current stance on the women’s entry, Pinarayi pointed out that as the Supreme Court has refused to stay its previous order it is very evident that women between the age group of 10 and 50 can ascend the hill shrine.
The court has only agreed to hear review petitions filed against its verdict, which lifted the ban on entry of women of all ages, in an open court on January 22, 2019. By the time, the present two-month-long annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage would come to an end.
The SC verdict has, in effect, led to more confusion over women’s entry, feels the government. “Usually review petitions are referred to open court when there are some perceived omissions or errors. In effect, it would mean the previous order has been put on hold. In that case, the 1991 HC verdict banning women between 10-50 years would have been in effect. However here, the SC has specifically stated that there is no stay on the September 28 judgment. Hence the government would seek legal advice before taking the next call,” said Law Minister A K Balan, who feels the verdict has put the government in a tricky situation.
It is learnt that the government has begun efforts to reach out to Opposition parties, and organisations like the NSS.
CM reviews pilgrimage preparations
T’Puram: A review meeting presided by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday assessed the preparations for the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season at Sabarimala. Temporary accommodation facilities being built at Pampa and Nilakkal would be completed soon. Arrangements have been made for the distribution of free food at transit camps set up as part of the pilgrimage, informed the meeting. Temporary facilities will also be set up at the Chengannur railway station where the pilgrims arrive in large numbers. The Kerala Water Authority has also made arrangements to make potable water available in the pilgrim centres. Ministers Kadakampally Surendran and A K Saseendran, MLAs Raju Abraham, Saji Cheriyan, Suresh Kurup, and P C George, chief secretary Tom Jose, state police chief Loknath Behera, TDB president A Padmakumar, various department officials and district collectors took part.
CM calls meeting of Sabarimala thantris, Pandalam palace representatives
T’Puram : The state government has invited the Sabarimala tantris and representatives of the Pandalam palace for discussions in the light of Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision. The government plan is to hold the meeting at 3 pm on Thursday, after the all-party meeting. Sasikumara Varma of the Pandalam palace confirmed they had been contacted by the government. On whether they would attend the meeting, Sasikumara Varma said it would be decided on Wednesday. The representatives of the palace and the tantris had declined to meet the chief minister when a similar invite was extended in October to discuss the SC verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple.