Kerala Government Reverses Stand on Sabarimala Women's Entry, Backs Traditional Restriction
In a special cabinet meeting on March 13, 2026, the Kerala government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reversed its earlier position on women's entry into Sabarimala temple, deciding to inform the Supreme Court that the traditional restriction on entry of women of menstruating age should be upheld.
The government endorsed the Travancore Devaswom Board's (TDB) resolution to protect Sabarimala's centuries-old practice, which bars women generally between 10 and 50 years from entering the Lord Ayyappa shrine.
This marks a sharp reversal from the state government's 2018 position, when it actively supported the Supreme Court's ruling allowing women of all ages to enter.
The shift is widely attributed to approaching state assembly elections and concerns that the Sabarimala controversy could hurt the Left Democratic Front (LDF) electorally.
The Kerala government stated it would inform the Supreme Court after "wider consultation with Hindu scholars and social reformers."
The matter is currently pending before a larger Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which is reviewing the 2018 majority verdict.
The 2018 Sabarimala Judgment: Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala
On September 28, 2018, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, by a 4:1 majority, held that the exclusion of women aged 10–50 from the Sabarimala temple was unconstitutional. The majority struck down Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, which had given legal backing to the exclusion.
The Kerala government is now effectively backing the petitioners seeking review of the 2018 judgment. Its stated position before the Supreme Court will carry procedural weight as the state was originally a respondent that supported women's entry.
Articles 25 and 26: Freedom of Religion and Denomination Rights
Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution form the core of the right to freedom of religion. Article 25 grants all persons the freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practise, and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality, and health. Article 26 gives religious denominations the right to establish and maintain institutions and to manage their own affairs in matters of religion.
The Kerala government's reversal hinges on the argument that the restriction is an essential religious practice protected under Article 26. The seven-judge bench is expected to lay down clearer guidelines on what constitutes an essential religious practice, with implications far beyond Sabarimala.
Role of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB)
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is a statutory body under the Travancore Devaswom Board Act, 1950, responsible for the administration and management of approximately 1,250 temples in Kerala, including Sabarimala. It is the immediate authority over the temple's management and priestly appointments.
Key Details
- The TDB is controlled by the state government through nominated and elected members, giving the ruling party significant indirect influence over its decisions.
- The Board's resolution to protect traditional practices, endorsed by the cabinet, signals that the government will take a formal position before the Supreme Court.
- The TDB had previously submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court supporting women's entry, consistent with the 2018 government position — making the current reversal procedurally significant.
Since the TDB is a party to the Supreme Court proceedings and is directly responsible for temple administration, its position shift — backed by cabinet approval — is a formal litigation-strategy change that will be presented to the Court.
- Sabarimala temple: dedicated to Lord Ayyappa; located in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala
- Traditional restriction: women generally aged 10–50 barred from entry
- Key legal instrument challenged: Rule 3(b), Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965
- 2018 verdict: 4:1 majority in Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala, September 28, 2018
- Current status: matter referred to seven-judge bench; pending in Supreme Court
- Kerala assembly elections: due in 2026
- Travancore Devaswom Board: administers ~1,250 temples including Sabarimala
- Chief Justice who delivered majority judgment in 2018: Chief Justice Dipak Misra