Sabarimala Women’s Entry: Devaswom Board Replaces Counsel to Reflect Its Revised Stand; SC Grants Time Till March 23
New Delhi: In a significant shift in its legal strategy, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has appointed Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi to represent it before the Supreme Court of India, aligning its legal representation with its revised policy on temple traditions. Singhvi, who has consistently argued in favour of preserving traditional customs and opposing the entry of women into the temple, replaces Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, who had earlier supported women’s entry while appearing for the Board.
The change marks a clear departure from the Board’s stance in 2019. During the review petition hearings on February 6, 2019, Dwivedi had argued before the apex court that the Board supported the entry of women, maintaining that all devotees are equal under the Constitution. At the same time, Singhvi was appearing for former TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan and had opposed the Board’s position, defending the continuation of temple traditions.
On Monday, however, Singhvi appeared before the Supreme Court as counsel for the Board itself, indicating that the TDB’s official stand has shifted back toward protecting traditional practices.
During the proceedings, Singhvi requested the nine-judge Constitution Bench for additional time to submit written arguments on behalf of the Devaswom Board. The Bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and assisted by Standing Counsel P. S. Sudheer, accepted the request and extended the deadline for all parties to file their written submissions until next Monday, March 23, 2026 .
The development signals a renewed legal push by the TDB to defend long-standing temple customs as the constitutional debate surrounding the issue continues before the apex court.