Sabarimala Case

The famed Lord Ayyappa temple here is witnessing unprecedented heavy rush on Wednesday morning with just hours left for the performance of the auspicious Mandala pooja at the hill shrine. Long queues of pilgrims carrying the sacred bundle of "irunmudikettu" on their heads and chanting "swamiye saranam Ayyappa" mantras could be seen at the Sannidhanam, the temple complex. The sea of devotees was waiting to get a glimpse of the mandala pooja which marks the culmination of the first leg of the two month-long annual pilgrimage at the Lord Ayyappa temple. A ceremonial procession carrying the sacred Thanka Anki (golden attire) of Lord Ayyappa reached the hill shrine here last evening. According to temple management sources, the pooja would be performed after adorning the 'anki' on the idol of Lord Ayyappa, the principal deity. The poojas and rituals would be performed between 10.30 am and 11.30 am, they said. After the Mandala Pooja, the shrine would be closed by 11.00 pm and would be

More than 13 Sabarimala pilgrims were injured after a bus they were travelling in was involved in an accident in Kottayam district on Wednesday morning, police said. The accident occurred at Kanamala, near Erumeli, they said. The pilgrims, hailing from Kolar in neighbouring Karnataka, were proceeding to the hill shrine located in Pathanamthitta district. A senior official said as many as 43 people, including 40 pilgrims, were in the vehicle when it overturned after the driver lost control of it. Over 13 people suffered injuries, he said. Four injured pilgrims were rushed to the government medical College here, he said, adding that four persons were taken to the general hospital and some other accident victims were admitted to a nearby private hospital, the official added.

It said that to control the Covid-19 pandemic during the Sabarimala temple festival season between December 20 and January 14 next year, the state had constituted the high-level committee

SC also said that pleas concerning Tripura, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, which is going ahead with the implementation of CAA without framing any rules, can be dealt with separately.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said this after senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought urgent hearing of CAA matters and said that till date, the Centre has not filed a reply in the matter

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde framed seven questions to be heard by a nine-judge Constitutional bench on issues relating to freedom of religion under the Constitution and faith

The bench was hearing the issues relating to discriminations against women at various places of worship including the Sabarimala temple

A nine-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde is hearing several senior lawyers, including jurist FS Nariman, on the issue of framing of questions to be decided by it

A bench headed by Justice N V Ramana asked the state to place before it by third week of January next year the legislation, also covering the aspects of welfare of pilgrims visiting there

The pilgrims would be allowed to climb the 18 holy steps after the padi puja and have darshan.

Social justice and progressive social reforms are never a walk in the park

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

The Supreme Court on Thursday said a larger seven-judge bench will re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple

The majority verdict did not say anything adverse against the apex court's September 28, 2018 decision allowing women to enter the shrine nor did it stay the earlier judgement

The Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict on Sabarimala. Catch LIVE updates reactions that follow SC verdict on Sabarimala temple

Five judge bench rules by 3:2 majority, Justices Chandrachud and Nariman dissent

At present, the apex court is on Diwali break and will re-open on November 4

In the recent Lok Sabha polls, post-Sabarimala agitation, the Left front had suffered a massive drubbing, losing 19 out of the total of 20 seats

On top of the list is the Ayodhya dispute, in which Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi is trying to expedite a judicial verdict through day-to-day hearing by a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by him

The apex court said, however, that there will be no stay on the September 28 verdict which allowed entry of women in the shrine