The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from Centre over a PIL seeking entry of Muslim women in all mosques of the country.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices SA Bobde and SA Nazeer issued notice to the union ministry of law and justice and Minority Affairs on the plea seeking entry of women in mosques.
The plea was filed by one Yasmeen Zuber Ahmad Peerzade for issuance of direction to government authorities and Muslim bodies like Waqf Board to allow women into mosques on grounds that denial amounted to violation of various fundamental rights.
In a similar case last year, the Supreme Court had ruled that women, of all age groups, can enter Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The apex court in a 4:1 majority said that the temple practice violates the rights of Hindu women and that banning entry of women to shrine is gender discrimination. A five-judge Constitution bench said that the provision in the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, which authorised the restriction violated the right of Hindu women to practice religion.
The judgment had sparked violence in parts of Kerala as many women tried to visit the temple but were stopped by the priests and male devotees.