NEW DELHI (AP) — India's Supreme Court has lifted a temple's ban on women of menstruating age, holding that equality is supreme irrespective of age and gender.
The court ruled 4-1 on Friday the practice of excluding women cannot be regarded as an essential religious practice.
The historic Sabarimala temple in Kerala state had barred women age 10 to 50 from entering the temple. Some religious figures consider menstruating women to be impure.
The temple argued the celibate nature of Sabarimala temple's presiding deity Lord Ayyappa was protected by India's Constitution.
Rahul Eswaran, an attorney for the temple, said the temple management would seek a review of the court's decision. It noted girls and women of other ages were allowed in the temple without restrictions.