HC seeks response on plea for women’s entry in Nizamuddin dargah

THE COURT SAID IT WAS WAITING FOR THE DECISION IN THE REVIEW PETITION FILED IN CONNECTION WITH THE VERDICT IN THE SABARIMALA CASE

NEW DELHI :The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of the Centre, the Delhi government and the Nizamuddin Dargah trust on a plea challenging the ban on the entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah in central Delhi.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar also sought to know the stand of Delhi Police on the plea filed by three law students, who had sought framing of guidelines to ensure the entry of women into the dargah and declare the ban as “unconstitutional”.

The court said it was waiting for the decision in the review petition filed in connection with the verdict in the Sabarimala case. In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court had on September 28 allowed the entry of women in the Sabarimala temple in Kerala .

In the present case, the plea filed through advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra alleged that a notice has been put up outside the Nizamuddin ‘dargah’ -- a shrine built over the grave of Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia -- clearly stating in English and Hindi that women are not allowed inside.

The public interest litigation (PIL) claimed that several representations were made to the authorities concerned but there was no response to the letters, compelling them to move the high court challenging the ban.

The petition said when the top court had allowed women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala shrine, women in the heart of the national capital were being discriminated against by being prohibited from entering the dargah.

“Nizamuddin dargah by its very nature is a public place and prohibition of entry of anyone in a public place on the basis of gender is contrary to the framework of the Constitution of India,” it said. The matter would be now heard on April 11, 2019.