Kerala High Court seeks state reply on transgender devotee’s Sabarimala entry plea

The Kerala High Court on Monday sought the state government's response to a petition by a transgender devotee who alleges she was denied entry to the Sabarimala temple because of her gender. A bench of Justice Gopinath P and Justice S Manu issued notice and posted the matter to September 3.

The petitioner, Sathyashri Sharmila Rehemathali, who identifies as a transgender woman, said she reached Pamba on August 20 after observing the required rituals but was stopped by police around 3:30 PM near the Pamba Ganapathi Temple. She was told that the Travancore Devaswom Board had instructed police not to allow transgender persons to proceed uphill. She said the authorities refused to show her any written order imposing the restriction.

The petitioner argues the sudden restriction is arbitrary and unconstitutional, citing Section 3(e) of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which prohibits denial of access to religious institutions. She had sought permission to visit the temple on August 26 for Thiruvonam, but the court did not grant that order.