Indian Supreme Court Criticizes Lawyers Over Sabarimala Women Entry PIL

The Indian Supreme Court criticized the Indian Young Lawyers Association for its 2006 PIL challenging the prohibition of women aged 10 to 50 from entering Kerala's Sabarimala Temple. The court labeled it as an 'abuse of process of law' and advised the association to focus on the welfare of younger bar members.

The Supreme Court of India has reprimanded the Indian Young Lawyers Association for filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in 2006 that challenges the ban on women aged 10 to 50 entering the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.

The court described the PIL, which is based on four newspaper articles from 2006, as an 'abuse of process of law.' The nine-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, argued that the association should prioritize the welfare of its younger members instead of pursuing such legal actions.

Chief Justice Surya Kant questioned whether the association considered itself the 'chief priest of the country,' highlighting the need for focus on the Indian bar and its legal community. Despite the 4:1 majority verdict by a previous five-judge Constitution bench that lifted the ban in 2018, the issue remains contentious and under discussion.