Observing orally that every authority was obliged to implement Supreme Court verdicts, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court dismissed a public interest litigation seeking a directive to the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board not to allow women pilgrims into Sabarimala till adequate infrastructure facilities are in place there.
When a public interest litigation was taken up for hearing, the Bench comprising Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar orally pointed out that the very plea of the petitioner was against the verdict of the Supreme Court allowing entry of women of all age groups into Sabarimala.
The court reminded the petitioner that all authorities, civil and judicial, in the country shall act in aid of the Supreme Court as per Article 144 of the Constitution and the law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of the country in terms of Article 141 of the Constitution.
The Bench said that the petitioner could approach the Supreme Court if he chose to do so. The petitioner, P.D. Joseph from Thrissur, pointed out that the hasty steps taken by the authorities in allowing women to visit Sabarimala had resulted in unrest and law and order situation at Sabarimala.
He said that the government would have to incur huge expenses if women were allowed at Sabarimala under heavy police protection. Besides, there were not enough infrastructure available at Sabarimala to take care of the need of the women pilgrims, he added.
