'Woman can't be treated as 'untouchable' for 3 days': SC judge during Sabarimala hearing

NEW DELHI: A pistillate cannot beryllium treated arsenic "untouchable" for 3 days successful a period and past cease to beryllium considered untouchable connected the 4th day, Supreme Court justice BV Nagarathna remarked connected Tuesday during proceeding of cases including Sabarimala issue.The remarks came arsenic solicitor wide Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said helium powerfully objected to the 2018 Sabarimala judgment’s reflection that barring women aged 10 to 50 from the temple amounted to “untouchability” nether Article 17 of the Constitution. "Article 17 successful the discourse of Sabarimala, I don't cognize however it tin beryllium argued. Speaking arsenic a woman, determination can't beryllium a three-day untouchability each month, and connected the 4th day, determination is nary untouchability," justness Nagarathna.The reflection came successful effect to Mehta's statement: "India is not that patriarchal oregon sex stereotyped successful the mode that the West understands."In the Sabarimala case, justness DY Chandrachud held that barring women from Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, whether owed to property oregon menstrual status, amounts to “untouchability,” places them successful a “subordinate” position, reinforces “patriarchy,” and undermines their dignity.

Mehta said that the prohibition connected women entering Sabarimala temple was not linked to menstruation, but was imposed solely based connected a circumstantial property group."Let america beryllium clear. Sabarimala concerns lone a peculiar property group. There should beryllium nary confusion. Lord Ayyappa temples crossed the state and the satellite are unfastened to women of each ages. It is lone 1 temple which has this restriction. It is simply a sui generis case," helium said.A nine-judge seat was proceeding petitions concerning favoritism against women astatine spiritual sites, including Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, and examining the grade and limits of spiritual state crossed antithetic faiths. The Constitution seat included Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi.