Women's entry into Nizamuddin Dargah: Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, state govt

The Delhi high court on Monday issued notices to the Centre, state government and the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah trust on a plea seeking entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum. The court also said that they were awaiting the Sabarimala review verdict before further hearing the case. The next date of hearing is April 11.

The Supreme Court had allowed the entry of women of all ages into Kerala’s Sabarimala temple and is currently hearing a review petition in the case.

The plea in Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah case was filed on Thursday by a group of women law students from Pune requesting the



Centre and other authorities to remove the ban on the entry of women into the shrine.

The petition claimed that the law students tried to reach out to authorities over the matter, including the Delhi Police but decided to move the court after not receiving any response.

In their plea the women contended that Nizamuddin Dargah is a public place and prohibiting women from entering the shrine is gender discrimination and thus highly unconstitutional. The plea cited the example of two major Muslim shrines — Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai and Khwaja Moinuddin Dargah in Ajmer — that allow entry of women.